Geraniol Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

UNLABELLED

Geraniol is an acyclic monoterpene alcohol with well-known anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties which has shown eubiotic activity towards gut microbiota (GM) in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

METHODS

Fifty-six IBS patients diagnosed according to Rome III criteria were enrolled in an interventional, prospective, multicentric, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. In the treatment arm, patients received a low-absorbable geraniol food supplement (LAGS) once daily for four weeks.

RESULTS

Patients treated with LAGS showed a significant reduction in their IBS symptoms severity score (IBS-SSS) compared to the placebo (195 vs. 265, = 0.001). The rate of responders according to IBS-SSS (reduction ≥ 50 points) was significantly higher in the geraniol vs placebo group (52.0% vs. 16.7%, = 0.009) mainly due to the IBS mixed subtype. There were notable differences in the microbiota composition after geraniol administration, particularly a significant decrease in a genus of ( = 0.01), a decreasing trend for the and families ( = 0.1), and an increasing trend for other taxa, specifically ( = 0.09). The main circulating proinflammatory cytokines showed no differences between placebo and geraniol arms.

CONCLUSION

LAGS was effective in treating overall IBS symptoms, together with an improvement in the gut microbiota profile, especially for the IBS mixed subtype.