The analgesic effect of barley tea (<i>Hordeum vulgare</i> L.) in migraine patients: A randomized clinical trial

Background and aims: Migraine is the second most common type of headache after tension headache and can cause neurological disability in affected people. Considering the increasing tendency towards natural compounds and herbal medicines, the effect of tea on reducing migraine headaches in patients referred to health centers in Shahrekord was investigated. Methods: A total of 60 patients who had migraine, according to the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria, were randomly divided into two groups by a random allocation method: a group that received the standard headache treatment and placebo and the other group that received 3 g of barley tea twice a day for 6 weeks and the standard headache treatment. The pain level was evaluated using the Ahvaz Migraine Questionnaire (AMQ). The data were analyzed by SPSS version 18.0. Results: The administration of barley tea decreased the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in the serum compared to the group receiving standard drug and placebo (P&lt;0.001), and no change in the antioxidant capacity of the serum (P=0.93) was observed. No significant difference in cortisol levels was observed between the treatment and control groups after the intervention (P=0.138). Moreover, the recurrence rate, pain duration, and pain intensity were significantly lower in the group receiving barley tea than in the group receiving standard medicine and placebo (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Barley tea significantly reduced the recurrence, intensity, and duration of migraine headaches. Therefore, due to its low side effects, it can be used in migraine patients as a complementary medicine.