Med Klin (Munich). 1999 Aug; 94(8): 425-30.

[The effect of chelidonium- and turmeric root extract on upper abdominal pain due to functional disorders of the biliary system. Results from a placebo-controlled double-blind study]

Niederau C, GÃ¶pfert E.

Klinik f�r Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Infektiologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universit�t D�sseldorf. [email protected]

BACKGROUND: Right upper abdominal pain may often be caused by biliary dyskinesia. Choleretica and cholekinetica are widely used for medical treatment of complaints due to biliary dyskinesia despite of a lack of randomized clinical trials which may prove their efficacy and potency. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present prospective multicenter pilot study analyzes the effects of Cholagogum F Nattermann (dried extracts from SchÃ¶llkraut and Curcuma) in comparison with placebo in patients with dumpy or colicky abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant due to biliary dyskinesia. Cholagogum was given in 39 patients and placebo in 37 patients for 3 weeks, respectively. RESULTS: The reduction of dumpy and colicky pain was more rapid during the first treatment week in patients who received Cholagogum F when compared to those who received placebo. The reduction of other complaints (feeling of being filled up, food intolerance, nausea, vomiting, meteorism) (secondary variables) was similar in patients who received Cholagogum F versus placebo during the whole treatment period. The were no side-effects in patients who received Cholagogum. CONCLUSIONS: The study presents the first solid indication that extracts from SchÃ¶llkraut/Curcuma (Cholagogum F Nattermann) which have widely been used in daily practice for many decades have beneficial effects on pain due to biliary dyskinesia.