EFFECTIVENESS OF HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES TO REDUCE THE USAGE OF PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS IN GASTRIC COMPLAINTS

ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the effectiveness of homoeopathic medicines in patients who are using Proton Pump Inhibitors(PPI) for gastric complaints. Materials and methods: A total of 30 patients, aged between 18 to 75 years, with gastric complaints and using PPIs 3-5 times/week for more than 4-8 weeks to reduce their symptoms were enrolled in the study. Patients attending, Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical Foundation Homoeopathic Hospital are enrolled. Constitutional medicine was prescribed after thorough case-taking and repertorization. Improvement assessment was based on the Gastro-Intestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) scale score and subjective relief in symptoms. The drug was administered in globule form orally. Repetition of dose was decided based on the assessment of the GIQLI score during the follow-up. Results: The GIQLI scores were analyzed before and after the treatment using a paired t-test. Before the treatment intervention, the average GIQLI score was 100.46 + 11.21 (mean± SD); after the intervention, the average GIQLI score was 127.66 + 9.99 (mean± SD). The t-statistic value was -14.68 and the significant p-value of 0.00* which concluded that there was a significant difference in the average GIQLI score, before and after treatment. Hence Homoeopathic medicines are effective in patients with gastric complaints who are on PPIs. Marked improvement is seen in 36.67% of the patients with Gastric complaints, 40% of patients showed a moderate improvement, whereas 20% had a mild improvement. Only 3.33% of patients had no improvement. Mean ± standard deviation of the GIQLI score difference after and before the treatment. The average GIQLI score differences were 36.82±5.13 for marked improvement, 26.75±3.22 for moderate improvement, and 14.33±3.44 for mild improvement. Homoeopathic medicines that were used in this study were Arsenicum Album, Bryonia, Argentum Nitricum, Lycopodium clavatum, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla and Nux Vomica. Among patients treated with Bryonia and Argentum nitricum, 75% had moderate improvement and 25% showed mild improvement. Among patients treated with pulsatilla Arsenicum album and Lycopodium, 66.7% had marked improvement, and 33.3% showed moderate improvement. When patients received Nux Vomica, 42.9% had marked improvement, 28.6% showed moderate improvement and 28.6% had mild improvement in gastric complaints. For patients treated with Phosphorus marked improvement is seen in 50%, 33.3% showed moderate improvement and mild improvement in 16.7%. Hence showing a significant difference between the symptom score which is taken before and after the treatment. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was utilized to evaluate the hypothesis concerning symptom scores before and following treatment. and showed a significant difference. The test statistic for pain score was Z=-4.615 with a p-value of 0.00. Similarly, Bloating, Regurgitation and Heartburn scores before and after treatment were studied. Corresponding observed z-statistic values were -4.636, -4.934 and -4.05 respectively. The corresponding p-values were <0.01, statistically highly significant. Based on these findings, indicates a significant improvement in symptom scores after treatment, enhancing patients' quality of life. Conclusion: Homoeopathic remedies have demonstrated substantial effectiveness in treating gastric symptoms, indicating that they are effective in patients with gastric complaints who are on PPIs.