Comparing the Efficacy of Ziziphus jujuba L. Product and Polyethylene Glycol in Elderly People with Functional Constipation: A Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial : Short title: Ziziphus jujuba L. and PEG in Elderly Constipation.
7 affiliations
- 1Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
- 2Institute for Studies in Medical History, Persian and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- 3Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- 4School of Persian Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- 5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
- 6Persian Medicine Faculty, Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
- 7Colorectal Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders, especially among the elderly. The tendency to use food-based remedies is increasing due to their safety and availability. Jujube is a plant recommended for treating constipation. this study was designed to compare the effectiveness of Jujube paste with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in elderly patients with functional constipation (FC). This single-blind, randomized, active-controlled clinical trial was conducted with 60 elderly individuals aged 60 years or older who had FC. Participants were randomly assigned to either the Jujube paste group (two tablespoons twice daily) or the PEG group (10-20 g/day) and underwent treatment for 4 weeks. Constipation symptoms and stool consistency, as primary outcomes, were assessed using the Rome IV criteria and the Bristol Stool Scale, respectively. Additionally, quality of life, acceptance, and satisfaction were measured. At the end of the study, 26 participants in the PEG group and 25 in the Jujube paste group completed the trial. When comparing each group to their respective baseline, all clinical constipation symptoms, as defined by Rome IV criteria, showed significant improvement in both groups (P ≤ 0.002). Defecation frequency improved in both groups, with a significantly greater increase in the PEG group. This between-group difference remained significant after adjustment for baseline defecation frequency and education level (adjusted mean difference, 5.20 bowel movements/week; 95% CI, 1.53-8.87; P = 0.006). Quality of life improved in both groups, with a greater improvement observed in the Jujube group. Acceptance and satisfaction rates were significantly higher in the Jujube group compared to the PEG group (P < 0.05). Jujube paste may improve constipation symptoms in elderly patients with functional constipation and showed higher acceptance and satisfaction than PEG in this short-term trial. Larger, longer, and preferably blinded trials are needed to confirm efficacy.
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BibTeX
@article{fathi2026comparing,
title = {{Comparing the Efficacy of Ziziphus jujuba L. Product and Polyethylene Glycol in Elderly People with Functional Constipation: A Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial : Short title: Ziziphus jujuba L. and PEG in Elderly Constipation.}},
author = {Fereshte Fathi and Maryam Taghavi Shirazi and Ali Ghobadi and Hosseinnataj Abolfazl and Assie Jokar and Shahram Agah},
journal = {Galen medical journal},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.31661/gmj.v15i.4253},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996808},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Comparing the Efficacy of Ziziphus jujuba L. Product and Polyethylene Glycol in Elderly People with Functional Constipation: A Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial : Short title: Ziziphus jujuba L. and PEG in Elderly Constipation.
AU - Fereshte Fathi
AU - Maryam Taghavi Shirazi
AU - Ali Ghobadi
AU - Hosseinnataj Abolfazl
AU - Assie Jokar
AU - Shahram Agah
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/18
JO - Galen medical journal
DO - 10.31661/gmj.v15i.4253
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996808
AB - Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders, especially among the elderly. The tendency to use food-based remedies is increasing due to their safety and availability. Jujube is a plant recommended for treating constipation. this study was designed to compare the effectiveness of Jujube paste with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in elderly patients with functional constipation (FC). This single-blind, randomized, active-controlled clinical trial was conducted with 60 elderly individuals aged 60 years or older who had FC. Participants were randomly assigned to either the Jujube paste group (two tablespoons twice daily) or the PEG group (10-20 g/day) and underwent treatment for 4 weeks. Constipation symptoms and stool consistency, as primary outcomes, were assessed using the Rome IV criteria and the Bristol Stool Scale, respectively. Additionally, quality of life, acceptance, and satisfaction were measured. At the end of the study, 26 participants in the PEG group and 25 in the Jujube paste group completed the trial. When comparing each group to their respective baseline, all clinical constipation symptoms, as defined by Rome IV criteria, showed significant improvement in both groups (P ≤ 0.002). Defecation frequency improved in both groups, with a significantly greater increase in the PEG group. This between-group difference remained significant after adjustment for baseline defecation frequency and education level (adjusted mean difference, 5.20 bowel movements/week; 95% CI, 1.53-8.87; P = 0.006). Quality of life improved in both groups, with a greater improvement observed in the Jujube group. Acceptance and satisfaction rates were significantly higher in the Jujube group compared to the PEG group (P < 0.05). Jujube paste may improve constipation symptoms in elderly patients with functional constipation and showed higher acceptance and satisfaction than PEG in this short-term trial. Larger, longer, and preferably blinded trials are needed to confirm efficacy.
SN - 2588-2767
SN - 2322-2379
ER -