A small assessment of sustained release of 0.4 mg belladonna alkaloids and ~60 mg phenobarbital (1 grain) was performed in patients with functional GI disorders (i.e., gastric hyperacidity, dyspepsia, pyrosis, gas pains and epigastric distress. Overall, 23 of 25 patients reported complete or significant relief of symptoms. Hock also examined the effect of 0.25 mg belladonna alkaloids and 50 mg phenobarbital sustained release formulation in 82 clinical practice patients with various gastrointestinal disturbances including “functional distress” over 27 months. Of the 82 total patients, 33 patients reported a 50-75% and 20 reported a 75-100% improvement. There were specific reports of improvements in pain and bowel habits in over half of the patients. One of the earliest randomized double-blind clinical trials of belladonna alkaloids + phenobarbital was in 1959 by Lichstein et al. The study involved 75 patients with unstable bowel (whose symptoms are typical or similar to a current diagnosis of IBS) to investigate the combination therapy of an anticholinergic with the addition of phenobarbital against placebo over 15 months. Of these patients, 20 were treated with placebo, 43 were treated with 50 mg phenobarbital in combination with 0.25 mg Belladonna alkaloids, and 12 received both therapies (patients who lacked a response were switched therapy). Of those receiving the belladonna alkaloids / phenobarbital only, 75.6% reported a mean improvement (2+ or better) in all categories. Among the placebo patients only, only 29.8% reported mean improvement in symptoms.
Donnatal is a combination medication that provides natural belladonna alkaloids in a specific fixed ratio combined with phenobarbital to provide peripheral anticholinergic/antispasmodic action and mild sedation. Donnatal is manufactured for Concordia Pharmaceuticals by IriSys, LLC. It is available as tablets and 5 mL elixir. Active ingredients are listed as: phenobarbital (16.2 mg), hyoscyamine sulfate (0.1037 mg), atropine sulfate (0.0194 mg), and scopolamine hydrobromide (0.0065 mg). The latter two ingredients are found in plants of the family Solanaceae, such as belladonna. Indication
Based on a review of this drug by the National Academy of Sciences–National Research Council and/or other information, FDA has classified the indications as follows: "possibly" effective: For use as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (irritable colon, spastic colon, mucous colitis) and acute enterocolitis. May also be useful as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of duodenal ulcer. History
Clinical Research with Combinations of Belladonna Alkaloids and Phenobarbital
Clinical studies have been performed on different combinations of belladonna alkaloids and phenobarbital over the last 70 years. For example, Steigmann et al. evaluated a combination of 0.25 mg belladonna alkaloids and 50 mg phenobarbital on gastrointestinal symptoms in 93 patients. The population included 33 IBS patients. Eighteen out of 33 patients reported complete relief of symptoms and 13 reported fair response with partial relief within 24 hours. Only 2 IBS patients reported no response.