GoodFellow

Antispasmodics including peppermint oil may be effective for IBS

Publish Date
Category
Chronic conditions
Gastroenterology

A recent Alberta Tools for Practice1 notes that approximately 60% of patients report overall symptom or abdominal pain "improvement" on antispasmodics (including peppermint oil), compared to ~30-50% on placebo, with numbers needed to treat of 3-8.

Compared to placebo, adverse events occur for an additional 1 in 20 with antispasmodics and 1 in 11 on peppermint oil.

The antispasmodics are hyoscine (the only one available in NZ), pinaverium, trimebutine, dicycloverine, and peppermint oil.

Reference

  1. Antispasmodics and peppermint oil: Old news or a breath of fresh air in managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Gems are chosen by the Goodfellow director Dr. Bruce Arroll to be either practice changing or practice maintaining. The information is educational and not clinical advice.

Click the button below to be added to our mailing list for Gems and updates.

Join our email list

Recent Gems

Panic and asthma attacks; a practical skill
Published on:
NSAIDs and risk of fracture non-union: avoid indomethacin
Published on:
Tablet splitting generally ok; some exceptions
Published on:
Fournier’s gangrene (infection) when taking SGLT-2 inhibitors
Published on:
Mind-body and strength exercise good for unipolar depression
Published on:
Colchicine may be needed for slow allopurinol escalation
Published on:
Rehabilitation is probably effective for post-COVID-19 conditions
Published on:
CBT is probably effective for long COVID
Published on:
The evidence base for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome interventions
Published on: