Antiperistaltic effect and safety of l-menthol oral solution on gastric mucosa for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Chinese patients: Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Objective The topical antispasmodic agent l-menthol is commonly used for gastric peristalsis suppression during diagnostic upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a single dose l-menthol solution in suppressing gastric peristalsis during upper GI endoscopy in Chinese patients. Methods In this phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03263910), 220 patients scheduled to undergo upper GI endoscopy at five Chinese referral centers received a single dose of either 160 mg of l-menthol (n = 109) or placebo (n = 111). Both treatments were sprayed endoscopically on the gastric mucosa. An independent committee evaluated the degree of gastric peristalsis (peristaltic score: grade 1-5). Results At baseline, the proportion of patients with grade 1 peristalsis (no peristalsis) did not differ between the groups. The proportion of patients with grade 1 peristalsis post-treatment was significantly higher in the l-menthol group (40.37%, 44/109) versus the placebo group (16.22%, 18/111; P < 0.001); the difference between the groups was 24.15% (95% confidence interval: 12.67%-35.63%; P < 0.001). In the l-menthol group, 61.47% of patients had grade 1 peristalsis after endoscopy versus 24.55% in the placebo group (P < 0.001). The ease of intragastric examination correlated significantly with the grade of peristalsis. The incidence of adverse events was comparable between the groups (P = 0.340). Conclusions During upper GI endoscopy, a single dose of l-menthol solution (160 mg) sprayed on the gastric mucosa significantly attenuated gastric peristalsis versus placebo, thereby improving the visual stability without any safety concerns.