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Mohammad Hadi Nematollahi

Efficacy of a traditional herbal formula against drug-resistant childhood epilepsy - P.77-82

In about one-quarter of childhood epilepsies, there is no complete response to the routine, available antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). In traditional Persian medicine (TPM), Paeonia lactiflora and Anacyclus pyrethrum have been known for their anticonvulsant effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a combined herbal formula consisting of the dried root of P. lactiflora and A. pyrethrum in childhood drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). This single-arm before/after clinical trial was conducted on 46 children with DRE. The patients were observed for three months before as well as thirteen weeks after the administration of this traditional herbal preparation at a dose of 15 mg/kg/day. The frequency and duration of seizures were evaluated using the Hague seizure severity scale (HASS). There was a statistically significant reduction in both the frequency and duration of seizures after treatment with the herbal preparation (p-values were <0.001 and <0.05, respectively). A statistically significant response to the herbal formula started after eight weeks of treatment. The traditional formula of P. lactiflora and A. pyrethrum could be considered as a complementary medicine for treating childhood DRE. However, furtherstudies are needed to provide more evidence of its benefits and possible harms and also determine the precise mechanisms ofaction of this formula as a medicinal remedy for epilepsy.Keywords: Anacyclus pyrethrum, Child, Drug-resistant epilepsy, Paeonia lactiflora, Traditional medicine IPC Code: Int Cl.24: A61K 36/00Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases1,2. Approximately a quarter of children with epilepsy show varying degrees of drug resistance called “intractable” or “refractory” epilepsy. Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) has been defined as a persistent seizure activity despite adequate trials of at least two tolerated and appropriately chosen antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)3. DRE affects all aspects of a child’s development, leading to significant impairment in quality of life, as well as behavioral and psychiatric problems, including depression, sleep and mood disorders, cognitive delay, and poor scholastic performance4. Moreover, some patients experience unacceptable AED-related side effects, such as teratogenicity, liver toxicity, gastrointestinal complications, etc5. In general, drug resistance and interactions, high costs, and AED-related side effects are the main challenges in drug administration, particularly in children6. Therefore, the need for complementary therapies with fewer side effects is evident. Traditional Persian medicine (TPM), which is based on thousands of years of experience, has provided effective therapies in this regard7-9. A combined herbal formula of the dried roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. and Anacyclus pyrethrum DC., has been used for the treatment of epilepsy in TPM10-12. Although numerous studies have evaluated the antiepileptic properties of various plant components, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of these herbal remedies in clinical trials. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of the —————*Corresponding author


Subjects--Facted Index Terms:
Anacyclus pyrethrum
Child
Drug-resistant epilepsy
Paeonia lactiflora
Traditional medicine