Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36217471›Full record

ArticleHeliyon2022

A randomized clinical trial to test efficacy of chamomile and saffron for neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory responses in depressive patients.

Saara Ahmad, Arfa Azhar, Prashant Tikmani, Hamna Rafique, Asra Khan, Hanif Mesiya, Humera Saeed

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Heliyon, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 26 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Saara AhmadDepartment of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Arfa AzharDepartment of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Prashant TikmaniDepartment of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Hamna RafiqueDepartment of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Asra KhanDepartment of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Hanif MesiyaDepartment of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Humera SaeedDepartment of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Aga Khan University · PK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Depression is one of the common psychiatric problems in growing world population caused by long-term stressful events that may trigger the down regulation of neurogenesis. The pathogenesis of depression initially relies on serotonin deficiency which is associated with depressive feelings. Tryptophan (TRP) depletion participate crucial role in inducing depressive symptoms. Long-term reduction of 5-HT may disseminate to high sensitivity of MDD and alters the level of BDNF. Some studies have also revealed the strong association between excessive neuroinflammation and BDNF levels, due the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The treatment approach through FDA approved medicine has their own merits and drawbacks. Therefore, herbal alternatives have recently garnered attention for their effectiveness against depression. However, evidence-based synergic effects of antidepressant with different herbal agents are limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the synergistic effects of two well-known herbs, chamomile and saffron, as an adjuvant therapy in patients with mild to moderate depression. The present study was study randomized, open, blinded trial and comprised of 120 participants randomly allocated to control (n = 60) and test (n = 60). After consent, the patient health questionnaire- 9 (PHQ-9) was filled to obtain depression scores. The test participants were received herbal tea sachets twice a day for one month (20 mg Chamomile and 1 mg Saffron/sachet) along with routine medicines, while control participants were received only allopathic medications. Blood samples were taken before and after the treatment. The depressive symptoms improved significantly with both treatments. The effect of herbs enhanced the efficacy of medications and significantly improved PHQ-9 scale and BDNF while reduced the inflammatory markers (CRP) and TRP level in plasma thereby increased the availability of TRP in brain. It has been concluded that the herbal adjuvant therapy produced long term improvement against depression and enhanced the efficacy of allopathic treatment.

Indexed as

Brain derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF)ChamomileC-reactive protein (CRP)DepressionPatient health questionnaires 9 (PHQ-9)SaffronTryptophan (TRP)

Identifiers

PMID36217471
PMCPMC9547202
OpenAlexW4298127319

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.