STW 5-II for Treatment of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Mechanism and Clinical Efficacy

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is currently defined as episodic or recurrent epigastric pain or discomfort in the absence of organic diseases, lasting at least 4 weeks. FD is estimated to affect 7.2% of the worldwide population. Due to the underlying complex pathogenetic mechanisms, the therapy for FD is generally prescribed to treat the main symptoms experienced by the patient.

Recently, a new herbal formulation has been proposed for treating FD. This plant-based preparation, called STW 5-II, is a fixed combination of six hydroethanolic herbal extracts from bitter candy tuft, peppermint leaf, chamomile flower, licorice root, caraway fruit, and melissa leaf. STW 5-II has been shown to be more effective than placebo in several controlled studies and clinical scenarios, allowing for its recent introduction into several European markets.

This review aimed to describe the mechanisms of action of this herbal drug, its current and potential clinical indications, and to explore future perspectives for its use.