Abstract

Hab-o Shefa is a natural traditional Iranian medicine (TIM) product that many centuries used as a replacement for opium addiction treatment. In this randomized, double blind, controlled, clinical trial the effect of Hab-o Shefa was studied in the treatment of opiates addiction. In a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, 90 in-patients with opiates dependency that received an assisted self-help intervention, were randomly divided into the three groups. Hab-o Shefa was administered to the first group: 3 g/day four times daily on days 1 to 7, tapered down over 14 days. Clonidine was prescribed to the second group: 0.2 to 0.4 mg/day on days 1 to 2, 0.6 mg/day on days 3 to 18 and 0.4 to 0.2 mg/day on days 20 to 21. Placebo was administered to the third group. Studied variables included treatment retention, detoxification success rate, daily check of subjective, objective and clinical opiate withdrawal scale, depression scales, craving intensity, side effects, vital signs and electrocardiography (ECG) and biochemical tests at the beginning and end points of the study. Control of withdrawal symptoms and depression in Hab-o Shefa group was better than the other groups (P<0.05).

Key words: Hab-o Shefa, acute detoxification, opiates addiction, traditional Iranian medicine, withdrawal symptoms.