O Uso De Produtos Naturais Na Doença Do Refluxo Gastroesofágico: Análise De Ensaios Clínicos Através De Uma Revisão Integrativa

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a common condition, marked by symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation, and can lead to serious complications. Although the usual treatment involves Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), interest in natural products to relieve symptoms has grown, given that some patients present adverse effects to conventional treatments, in addition to patients who cannot receive them because they are at risk groups such as pregnant women, children and the elderly. Thus, there is a wide variety of important therapeutic components that can present themselves as solutions for these groups. This article reviews the effectiveness of these products in treating GERD. METHOD: This integrative review analyzed clinical trials on natural products in GERD between 1969 and 2024, in English and Portuguese. The PICOC strategy was used to select relevant articles in the PubMed, SCOPUS, SciELO and Web of Science databases. The selection followed four steps: search, filtering, review of abstracts and complete reading. RESULTS: Natural products compared to conventional medicines have stood out for their poorly studied therapeutic effects. The results were highlighted according to relevance and offer an overview of studies on treatments for GERD with natural products, including interventions, designs and conclusions. Studies vary in type and include randomized, controlled, multicenter trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of herbal therapies compared to placebo. CONCLUSION: While traditional medicines such as PPIs are effective in GERD, there is growing interest in herbal and natural alternatives such as Myrtus communis, Rikkunshito and Aloe vera extracts. Although promising, these products require more research to confirm their effectiveness and safety. Traditional therapies remain the first line of treatment, but natural options are expanding and need further validation.