Assessment of the Efficacy of a Highly Standardized Ginger and Perilla Nutraceutical (Dispepril®) in Improving Gastric and Intestinal Symptoms in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia

Assessment of the Efficacy of a Highly Standardized Ginger and Perilla Nutraceutical (Dispepril®) in Improving Gastric and Intestinal Symptoms in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

This multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of a nutraceutical treatment containing highly standardized extracts of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and perilla (Perilla frutescens) (Dispepril®, Pharmextracta S.p.A. Pontenure, Italy) in improving gastric and intestinal symptoms in adults with functional dyspepsia. The study will assess the non-inferiority of Dispepril® compared with standard proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy in reducing postprandial distress symptoms. Participants will be randomized in a 2:1:1 ratio to receive Dispepril® alone, Dispepril® plus half-dose PPI, or full-dose PPI for 14 days. Efficacy will be assessed using the Leuven Postprandial Distress Scale (LPDS), together with evaluations of treatment tolerability, adherence, and adverse events.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Functional Dysphonia
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Dispepril® (Pharmextracta S.p.A. Pontenure, Italy); Combination product: Half-Dose PPI Plus Dispepril®; Drug: Full-Dose Proton Pump Inhibitor

Detailed Description

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disorder of gut-brain interaction characterized by chronic or recurrent upper gastrointestinal symptoms in the absence of an identifiable organic cause. Typical symptoms include postprandial fullness, early satiety, epigastric pain, epigastric burning, upper abdominal bloating, belching, nausea, and heartburn. FD is associated with impaired quality of life and significant healthcare burden.

Current management strategies include proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), eradication of Helicobacter pylori when present, and prokinetic therapies. However, treatment efficacy is often limited, and long-term pharmacological therapy may be associated with adverse effects.

Dispepril® is a food supplement containing a highly standardized extract of Zingiber officinale titrated in gingerols and shogaols together with a patented bi-fractionated extract of Perilla frutescens. Ginger has been reported to normalize gastric emptying and improve dyspeptic symptoms, while perilla may exert prokinetic and anti-dyspeptic effects through actions on gastrointestinal motility.

This multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial will evaluate the efficacy of Dispepril® in adults diagnosed with functional dyspepsia according to Rome IV criteria. Approximately 400 participants will be enrolled and randomized in a 2:1:1 ratio into one of three treatment groups:

Dispepril® alone (two gastro-protected tablets daily for 14 days); Half-dose PPI once daily plus Dispepril® (two tablets daily for 14 days); Full-dose PPI once daily for 14 days.

The primary objective is to evaluate the non-inferiority of Dispepril® compared with PPI therapy in reducing postprandial distress symptoms. Efficacy will be assessed using the validated Leuven Postprandial Distress Scale (LPDS) at baseline and after 14 days of treatment.

Secondary objectives include evaluation of the synergistic activity of Dispepril® combined with half-dose PPI, assessment of treatment effects on individual LPDS gastrointestinal symptom items, treatment tolerability, therapeutic adherence, and adverse events.

The total duration of participation for each subject will be 14 days, with assessments performed at baseline (Day 0) and at the end of treatment (Day 14).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 400
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Italy
  • Montevarchi, Italy
    • U.O.S.D. Digestive Endoscopy, Interventional and Emergency Unit
  • Rome, Italy
    • University of Rome Tor Vergata
  • Salerno, Italy
    • Gastroenterology Centre
  • Urbino, Italy
    • University of Urbino Carlo Bo

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or female participants aged 18 to 65 years
• Diagnosis of functional dyspepsia according to Rome IV criteria
• Willingness and ability to provide written informed consent
• Ability to follow study product administration instructions
• Ability to attend scheduled study visits

Exclusion Criteria:

• Gastrectomy
• Cancer
• Use of NSAIDs, cholagogues, or tricyclic antidepressants within 30 days prior to enrollment
• Helicobacter pylori positivity
• Alcoholism or other substance abuse
• Hepatic disease
• Renal disease
• History of hypersensitivity to formulation active ingredients or excipients
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Participation in another clinical trial or completion of another clinical trial within 1 month prior to enrollment
• Refusal or inability to provide informed consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Dispepril®; Participants will receive Dispepril®, administered as two gastro-protected tablets daily for 14 consecutive days. One tablet will be taken approximately 15 minutes before lunch and one tablet approximately 15 minutes before dinner. Each tablet contains 300 mg of highly standardized Zingiber officinale extract and 150 mg of a patented bi-fractionated Perilla frutescens extract.	Dietary supplement: Dispepril® (Pharmextracta S.p.A. Pontenure, Italy); Dispepril® is a gastro-protected dietary supplement containing 300 mg of highly standardized Zingiber officinale extract titrated to 10% gingerols and shogaols and 150 mg of a patented bi-fractionated Perilla frutescens extract per tablet.; Other Names: Ginger Extract, Perilla Extract
Experimental: Half-Dose PPI Plus Dispepril®; Participants will receive a half-dose proton pump inhibitor once daily together with Dispepril® administered as two gastro-protected tablets daily for 14 consecutive days. One tablet will be taken approximately 15 minutes before lunch and one tablet approximately 15 minutes before dinner.	Combination product: Half-Dose PPI Plus Dispepril®; Participants will receive a half-dose proton pump inhibitor once daily together with Dispepril® administered as two gastro-protected tablets daily for 14 consecutive days.; Other Names: PPI + Dispepril®
Active Comparator: Full-Dose PPI; Participants will receive a full-dose proton pump inhibitor once daily for 14 consecutive days according to standard clinical practice for functional dyspepsia.	Drug: Full-Dose Proton Pump Inhibitor; Participants will receive a full-dose proton pump inhibitor once daily for 14 consecutive days according to standard clinical practice for functional dyspepsia.; Other Names: Full-Dose PPI

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Post-Prandial Distress Assessed by the Leuven Postprandial Distress Scale (LPDS) Distress Compared to PPIs	Change in post-prandial distress from baseline to Day 14, assessed using the validated Leuven Postprandial Distress Scale (LPDS). The LPDS consists of 8 items assessing postprandial fullness, early satiety, upper abdominal bloating, epigastric pain, epigastric burning, belching, nausea, and heartburn. Each item is rated on a scale from 0 to 4, where 0 indicates no symptom and 4 indicates a very severe symptom. The LPDS has a maximum total score of 32 points.	14 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Individual Gastrointestinal Symptoms Assessed by the Leuven Postprandial Distress Scale	Change from baseline to Day 14 in the individual symptom scores assessed using the Leuven Postprandial Distress Scale (LPDS). The LPDS consists of 8 items evaluating postprandial fullness, early satiety, upper abdominal bloating, epigastric pain, epigastric burning, belching, nausea, and heartburn. Each item is scored from 0 to 4, where 0 indicates no symptom and 4 indicates a very severe symptom. Individual symptom scores range from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms and worse outcomes. Changes in individual symptom scores will be compared among treatment groups.	14 days
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Treatments on Individual Gastrointestinal Symptoms	Efficacy of treatments in the various study groups on the individual items of gastrointestinal symptomatology of the Leuven Postprandial Distress Scale (LPDS), assessed at the beginning and end of treatment.	14 days
Treatment Tolerability Assessed by Investigator Clinical Evaluation	Treatment tolerability at Day 14 as assessed by the investigator during the final clinical evaluation. The outcome will be reported as the number and percentage of participants considered to have tolerated treatment without clinically significant safety concerns.	14 days
Therapeutic Adherence	Therapeutic adherence will be assessed at Day 14 by counting returned unused tablets and comparing the number of tablets taken with the number prescribed. The outcome will be reported as the percentage of prescribed tablets taken during the 14-day treatment period.	14 days
Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events	Number and percentage of participants experiencing one or more treatment-emergent adverse events during the 14-day treatment period. Adverse events will be recorded and graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE).	14 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences
• Collaborators: University of Urbino "Carlo Bo"

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 22, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 10, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 15, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 17, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 15, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: ginger extract
• Other Study ID Numbers: 170_31marzo 2026_DISPEPRIL

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No