Assessing the effectiveness of Homoeopathic Medicines Croton tiglium and Lycopodium clavatum in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome- An Open Label Randomized Controlled Trial

Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS) is a functional bowel disorder in the absence of detectable structural abnormalities. There is no clear diagnostic markers for IBS.  Thus, the diagnosis is based on history and clinical presentation.

Symptoms of the condition include abdominal pain,  diarrhea,  constipation,  mucus discharge per rectum and altered stool appearance.  The genesis of disease is complex with multiple factors contributing to its occurrence.  Cause of IBS is not fully known,  but biopsychosocial variables are likely to play an essential role,  along with luminal factors such as diet and the gut flora.

A complex combination of components,  including psychological stress,  hormones,  the immune system and neurotransmitters appear to disrupt communication between the brain and the gut. The prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Western countries ranges from 4-5%., in Asian countries 1-10% and in India prevalence is estimated at 4-7.9%. The prevalence in North India is 4%.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a multifactorial disorder and it should be treated by considering various factors including mental status of the patient. Homoeopathy is a viable therapeutic option,  since it takes into account diseased individual rather than disease- a holistic approach which includes various factors like mode of living,  habits,  occupation,  mind and disposition along with the physical symptoms.

Homoeopathic medicines like Croton tiglium and Lycopodium clavatum, which were well proved and documented in source books. There are different literature shows that Lycopodium clavatum is well indicated for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The action of Croton tiglium on gastrointestinal system is,  it alters the bowel habits by affecting contractile frequency and amplitude of intestinal smooth muscles. Hence, this study is intended to assess and compare the effectiveness of these two medicines in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.