The irritable bowel syndrome. A cross-over study of octilonium bromide, mebeverine and placebo

A study aimed at comparing the effects of octilonium bromide (OB), mebeverine (MV) and placebo, on symptoms or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is presented. Sixty outpatients with active symptoms of IBS were admitted to the single-blind, cross-over trial which lasted for six weeks. The patients were divided into two groups, A and B, each of 30 patients. For the first two weeks Groups A and B were given 135 mg MV t.i.d. and 40 mg OB t.i.d., respectively; then both groups received placebo t.i.d. for two weeks. In the last two weeks, Group A received ON and Group B was given MV. No side-effects were observed in OB-treated patients; three patients who received MV showed cephalea, dryness of the mouth, tachycardia. Results showed a statistically significant (P < 0.001) advantage of the two active drugs compared with placebo in controlling IBS symptoms, whereas no significant difference was evident between OB and MV. It is concluded that octilonium bromide is as active as mebeverine but is better tolerated. It is therefore concluded that ON is of considerable value in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.