Trial reportPhytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology2015
Rhodiola rosea versus sertraline for major depressive disorder: A randomized placebo-controlled trial.
Trial report in Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
38 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 109 citations in OpenAlex.
- Nutraceuticals and phytoceuticals for the treatment of major depressive disorder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Understanding the research landscape of over-the-counter herbal products, dietary supplements, and medications evaluated for depressive symptoms in adults: a scoping review.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Pooled it
- Adaptogens on Depression-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Integrative Review and Rationale of Synergism with Physical Activity.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Current state of research on the clinical benefits of herbal medicines for non-life-threatening ailments.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2023Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of three species ofFrontiers in pharmacology · 2023Pooled it
- Herbal medicine for depression and anxiety: A systematic review with assessment of potential psycho-oncologic relevance.Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2018Pooled it
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors versus placebo in patients with major depressive disorder. A systematic review with meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2017Pooled it
- Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2016 Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: Section 5. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments.Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie · 2016Pooled it
- Non-Invasive Imaging for the Evaluation of a New Oral Supplement in Skin Aging: A Case-Controlled Study.Skin research and technology : official journal of International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin (ISBS) [and] International Society for Digital Imaging of Skin (ISDIS) [and] International Society for Skin Imaging (ISSI)Trial
- [Herbal treatment options for post-viral symptoms and long COVID].Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) · 2026Review
- Medicinal Plants for Major Depressive Disorder.Brain sciences · 2026Review
- Review
- The Pathogenesis and Medical Treatment of Depression: Opportunity and Challenge.Neurology international · 2025Review
- The Potential of Selected Plants and Their Biologically Active Molecules in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety Disorders.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Adaptogens in Long-Lasting Brain Fatigue: An Insight from Systems Biology and Network Pharmacology.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Comprehensive profiling ofFrontiers in pharmacology · 2025Article
- Effects of Fermentation with Kombucha Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeasts on Antioxidant Activities, Bioactive Compounds and Sensory Indicators ofMolecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Mixture ofNutrients · 2024Article
- State-of-the-Art Review on Botanical Hybrid Preparations in Phytomedicine and Phytotherapy Research: Background and Perspectives.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Depression and Its Phytopharmacotherapy-A Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundWe performed a proof of concept trial to evaluate relative safety and efficacy of Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea) versus sertraline for mild to moderate major depressive disorder. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesize that R. rosea would have similar therapeutic effects as sertraline but with less adverse events. STUDY
designPhase II randomized placebo controlled clinical trial.
methods57 subjects were randomized to 12 weeks of standardized R. rosea extract, sertraline, or placebo. Changes over time in Hamilton Depression Rating (HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Clinical Global Impression Change (CGI/C) scores among groups were examined using mixed-effects models.
resultsModest, albeit statistically non-significant, reductions were observed for HAM-D, BDI, and CGI/C scores for all treatment conditions with no significant difference between groups (p = 0.79, p = 0.28, and p = 0.17, respectively). The decline in HAM-D scores was greater for sertraline (-8.2, 95% confidence interval [CI], -12.7 to -3.6) versus R. rosea (-5.1, 95% CI: -8.8 to -1.3) and placebo (-4.6, 95% CI: -8.6 to -0.6). While the odds of improving (versus placebo) were greater for sertraline (1.90 [0.44-8.20]; odds ratio [95% CI]) than R. rosea (1.39 [0.38-5.04]), more subjects on sertraline reported adverse events (63.2%) than R. rosea (30.0%) or placebo (16.7%) (p = 0.012).
conclusionsAlthough R. rosea produced less antidepressant effect versus sertraline, it also resulted in significantly fewer adverse events and was better tolerated. These findings suggest that R. rosea, although less effective than sertraline, may possess a more favorable risk to benefit ratio for individuals with mild to moderate depression.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.