An Analgesic Effect of Stachys lavandulifolia in Patients with Migraine: A Double-Blind Randomised Clinical Trial Study

Background and Aim: Headache is the most common clinical syndrome of pain, and it is estimated that more than half of the patients are visited by physicians due to headache. Stachys lavandulifolia is one of the medicinal herbs which are traditionally used to treat headache. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of this herb on pain relief among patients with migraine. Methods: In this study, 50 patients with migraine were assigned randomly by block randomisation to intervention and control groups. In addition to routine treatment, two grams of hot herbal tea was given to the intervention group twice a day and every time while control group took routine herbs and placebo. Pain intensity was measured using visual analogue scale 1 and 2 months after the beginning of treatment. The data were analysed by t-tests and repeated measures using SPSS software (Version 18.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA). Results: The mean score of pain intensity was similar at baseline and after intervention reached to 4.21 +/- 1.42 and 6.33 +/- 1.55 for intervention and control groups, respectively. Based on the results of repeated measures, the mean score of pain intensity decreased in both groups, but the decreasing trend has more speed in intervention group. Moreover, the mean score of pain intensity decreased more 1 and 2 months after taking the medicinal herbs in intervention group compared to control group (P < 0.001). The mean score of decrease in pain intensity was statistically significant between two groups (4.21 +/- 1.89 vs. 1.92 +/- 1.41, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Mountain tea can be used as an auxiliary drug in the treatment of migraine patients due to its strong analgesic resources and the lack of significant side effects.