STW 5 (Iberogast) Therapy in Gastrointestinal Functional Disorders.

BACKGROUND: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are very common and affect populations worldwide. A majority of patients are affected by a variety of heterogenous gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS) related to the upper and lower digestive system with frequent overlap and mostly of mild to moderate degree. The herbal medicinal preparation STW 5 is documented as an effective therapeutic option for treating FGID. Studies Conducted in Summary: STW 5 has been in use for more than 50 years in clinical practice and proven to be effective and safe in the management of FGID. The high efficacy of STW 5 on symptoms clustered in functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as well as on individual abdominal symptoms is demonstrated in 5 controlled, randomized double-blind studies in FD and in one trial conducted in patients with IBS. In addition the beneficial therapeutic effect of STW 5 on FGD as well as safety issues have been reported in a series of non interventional studies conducted in several thousands of adult patients and including 980 children. An additional study has been performed addressing the question as to how quickly the therapeutic effect is obtained after STW 5 administration. Key Messages from These Studies: STW 5 is an effective phyto-medication for treating patients with FD and IBS. STW 5 acts beneficially on abdominal symptom clusters as well as on individual GIS in adults and children. The time to onset of action is rapid, well tolerated and safe. The repetitive use of STW 5 is an appropriate option in clinical practice for patients with FGID.