[A herbal preparation Resium in symptomatic gallstones. A preliminary study of the effect]

Resium, an old Spanish herb, is claimed to remove gallstone symptoms and to dissolve gallstones. Ten patients admitted for cholecystectomy because of intermittent bile cholics participated in a study for six months to evaluate the effects. None had had complications to their gallstone disease, and all had normal liver biochemistry and a normal well-functioning gallbladder before entry into the study. By ultrasonography minor changes in both directions in stone number and volume were seen. Five patients experienced some relief of symptoms, while the rest had unchanged, or worse symptoms. No adverse events to Resium were seen. In conclusion no effect of Resium upon gallstone size and volume was seen. The design of the study does not allow any conclusion about symptomatic effect to be drawn.