Evaluating Walnut-Fig Syrup as an Innovative Herbal Medicine for Functional Constipation in the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Functional constipation (FC), or chronic idiopathic constipation, is one of the most common chronic disorders with no specific cause. Although FC is not associated with the progress of severe disease or additional mortality, it significantly decreases the patients’ quality of life. While several medications are available to treat constipation, there is no adequate treatment response in most cases. Herbal remedies are one of the most widely used options for FC.

In this double-blind controlled trial, all patients, researchers, and analysts were unaware of the ingredients contained in the drugs, as well as the assigned groups. We recruited a total of 90 elderly patients diagnosed with FC according to the Rome IV diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Patients were divided into two equal groups (n=45 in each) receiving fig-walnut syrup and lactulose syrup. Then, CBC-FBS-TSH-CR-NA-K-CA tests were taken from all patients, and the developed syrups (walnut-fig or lactulose) were prescribed to patients (15 cc half an hour before bedtime).

While 43 (95.6%) patients responded to treatment in the intervention group, 41 (91.1%) patients responded to treatment in the conventional treatment group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of response to treatment (P = 0.677).

The results showed that the oral syrups developed in this study improved FC in the elderly and had no side effects.