Efficacy and safety of alpha-pinene capsule in the management of functional dyspepsia and eradication of helicobacter pylori: a randomized clinical trial.

Aim: Our objective was to assess the efficacy and safety of adding alpha-pinene (a herbal terpenoid) to quadruple therapy compared to a placebo in improving symptoms and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication rates in Functional dyspepsia (FD) patients.

Background: FD is a prevalent upper gastrointestinal condition, and no definitive pharmacological treatment is available for its management.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial on FD patients diagnosed with H. pylori infection. We collected baseline demographic data and assessed FD symptoms in the participants. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either standard quadruple therapy with α-pinene capsules (0.25 mg/day) or quadruple therapy with a placebo for two weeks. We employed a validated questionnaire, the Short Form Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire (SF-LDQ), to evaluate FD symptoms. The eradication rate of H. pylori was compared between the two groups one month after completing the treatment regimens. Any reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were documented throughout the trial.

Results: Over four months, a total of 66 patients completed the trial. Notably, there were no significant differences in baseline SF-LDQ scores between the two groups (p=0.83); however, a significant divergence emerged at the trial's conclusion (p=0.03). The H. pylori eradication rates did not show notable differences between the two treatment arms (p=0.43). Importantly, there were no dropouts from the trial due to ADRs. Among reported ADRs, participants experienced abdominal pain, headache, diarrhea, and a metallic taste, with no significant variance in incidence rates observed between the two groups (p=0.62).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that α-pinene could be an effective and safe agent for reducing FD symptoms.