Effects of propolis supplementation on irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and mixed (IBS-M) stool pattern: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial

Abstract

Background: Recent evidence indicates that propolis can modulate gastrointestinal (GI) function. This trial aims to assess the efficacy of propolis supplementation on the severity of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 56 subjects with IBS diagnosed by Rome IV criteria. Eligible subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 900 mg/day of propolis or matching placebo tablets for 6 weeks. The IBS symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS) was used to evaluate IBS severity in five clinically applicable items. Results: After adjusting anxiety scores, a significant reduction was observed in the overall score of IBS symptoms (−98.27 ± 105.44), the severity of abdominal pain (−24.75 ± 28.66), and the frequency of abdominal pain (−2.24 ± 3.51) with propolis treatment as compared to placebo (p-value.05). Conclusions: Our results showed that propolis supplementation might have a beneficial effect on constipation subtype of IBS (IBS-C) and mixed subtype of IBS (IBS-M) severity by reducing the severity and frequency of abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).