Efetividade do uso tópico do óleo essencial de Alpinia zerumbet no tratamento de pacientes com fibromialgia

Abstract

Fibromyalgia is a rheumatic syndrome characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain without organic changes. The syndrome is frequently associated also with other symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, dyspnea, depression and anxiety, resulting in a lower quality of health of life, that determines interest by patients complementary therapy with alternative medicine. Alpinia zerumbet studies demonstrated muscle relaxing action, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and anxiolytic.The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of the topical use of bioproduct based essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet, in the treatment of patients with fibromyalgia. A clinical trial of type II, randomized, controlled for 8 weeks in 39 patients, all female, mean age 50.8 ± 2.44. After fulfilling the inclusion criteria for the study, patients were divided into three groups: control group (n = 10) no treatment; essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet group (n = 10; mL/7Kg 0:05); and amytriptiline group (n = 19; 25 mg / day). The variables evaluated were: pain, depression, sleep quality, anxiety and quality of life through of specific questionnaires; levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1â, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-á, IL-2R); levels of some hormones of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (total T3, total T4, IGF-1, GH, ACTH, norepinephrine, cortisol, epinephrine and dopamine), and serum biochemical parameters related to nociception (serotonin and 5 - HIAA).The results of the questionnaires in the group treated with OEAz had significantly lower scores compared to the control group for depression, quality of sleep and quality of life (p <0.01, 0.05 and 0.01); and between anxiety and OEAz and AMT (p <0.01). Significant increase in levels of IL-1, IL-8, and TNF-á (p <0.05, 0.01 and 0.001) in the group AMT. The serum cortisol levels were reduced significantly (p <0.05), while dopamine levels were elevated (p <0.05). There was no difference in serum total T3, total T4, IGF-1, GH, ACTH and norepinephrine; in serum IL-6 and IL-2R; and the and the symptoms of pain, independently of treatment modality (p> 0.05). There was a positive correlation between increased serum serotonin levels and improves sleep quality (r = 0.734, p = 0.038); and negative correlation between cortisol and quality of life (r = 0.5, p = 0.04) in the group treated with EOAz. We conclude that the EOAz significant improvement in sleep, depressive and quality of life symptoms, in addition to some clinical serum levels in fibromyalgia.