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Clinically proven Iberogast® wins support of top medicos as clinical trial vs esomeprazole (Nexiam) progresses

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Created on Wednesday, 14 September 2011 17:26

One of Australia’s leading gastroenterologists says he believes that the herbal remedy, Iberogast (STW 5) has its place among and is probably even superior to more expensive, mainstream treatments for common gastrointestinal disorders.

Professor Gerald Holtmann is the Director of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Princess Alexandra Hospital, and Professor of Medicine at University of Queensland, Australia.

Speaking at the Australian Gastroenterology Week Conference in Brisbane, he says that Ibeogast is an effective and safe medication “based upon millions of treatments and thousands of patients who have been in clinical trials”. He adds that for many herbal medicines this data is not available.

Professor Holtmann was initially very sceptical that a complementary medicine could match other more established treatments, however he says the accumulated scientific evidence including his own trials have demonstrated Iberogast’s efficacy.

“I was really stunned when I saw the results of the first placebo-controlled study. It was the most effective treatment I have ever seen in these patients.”

The efficacy of Iberogast is undergoing further evaluation in a clinical trial at University of Adelaide, Australia. Professor Jane Andrews, who is conducting the trial, is comparing the effects of Iberogast, with the prescription drug, proton pump inhibitor (PPI), esomeprazole (Nexiam), as well as placebo in patients with functional dyspepsia.

“This (Iberogast) is a very interesting preparation because the company is willing to have it evaluated properly in clinical trials whereas a lot of other companies that produce complementary medicines make claims, are not yet prepared to put in any effort to evaluate those claims in a randomised, controlled trial environment.”

This trial is being funded by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which is an Australian government body. Recruitment is due to be completed by the end of March next year.