Comparison the effect of Asvard capsule and omeprazole in treatment and recurrence of non-cardiac chest pain related to gastroesophageal reflux disease in adults: A controlled double blind clinical trial.

Objective: Considering the burden of non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) on emergency departments and the difficulties related to the treatment of the disorder, the present study aims to investigate the effect of Asvard capsule (containing Myrtus communis and Rosa damascena) compared to routine treatment (omeprazole) in a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial.

Materials and methods: This study was carried out for 8 weeks including 6 weeks of therapeutic intervention and 2 weeks of follow-up. The participants were assigned to a control group that received omeprazole capsule 20 mg/day and three intervention groups A) Asvard capsule 1200 mg/day )2 cap 300 mg/BID), B) Asvard capsule 1600 mg/day (2 cap 400 mg/BID), and C) Asvard capsule 2000 mg/day (2 cap 500 mg/BID). The therapeutic efficiency for NCCP was assessed in 4 phases (days 0, 21, 42, and 56) using a standardized questionnaire of frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (FSSG).

Results: The average value of NCCP was reduced after the intervention compared to the study's baseline in all groups (Pv <0.001). However, two weeks after treatment (follow-up), participants recorded higher scores of NCCP in the omeprazole 20 mg group, the average of NCCP for the intervention groups remained constant or increased slightly.

Conclusion: Our findings present that although omeprazole 20 mg decreased chest pain score, it has less lasting effect compared to the herbal medicine used in this study. It seems that Asvard can be effective for the treatment of NCCP related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), however, a long-term study.