Clinical effectiveness of apple-quince syrup in chronic migraine: a double-blind randomized controlled trial

Chronic migraine is a disabling and invasive neurological disorder associated with severe episodic and recurrent headaches. To assess the effectiveness of apple-quince syrup on the frequency, severity and duration of migraine headaches. This study was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, controlled, trial between January 2015 and March 2016. Patients who had at least 2 migraine attacks within 4 weeks were randomly assigned apple-quince syrup (n=31), or placebo (n=31). Patients were asked to take the syrup (apple-quince or placebo) 10 ml TFD for 3 months after each meal (three times a day) in a size equal to 10 grams for 3 months.. The frequency (per week), mean duration (hour) and mean intensity (ten-point visual analog scale (VAS)) of headache attacks evaluated at baseline and following 4 and 12 weeks of the intervention. VAS scores were significantly lower in patients treated with the apple-quince syrup compared with patients treated with placebo (Mean Difference:-2.57, 95%Cl:-3.49 to -1.66, P<0.001. Apple-quince syrup significantly made higher reduction compared to placebo after 3 months of intervention (Mean Difference:-44.06, 95%Cl:-66.80 to -21.32, P<0.001). The number of migraine headache attacks per week in apple-quince group was significantly lower compared to controls after 3 months of intervention (Mean Difference:-3.00, 95%Cl:-4.20 to -1.79, P<0.001). Apple-quince syrup is a safe and effective intervention as a first-line abortive treatment for a population migraine that frequently experience mild headache prior to the onset of moderate to severe headache.