Herbs for Depression

A recent study suggests that several herbs may be beneficial for patients with mild-to-moderate depression.

Depression is a mood disorder that affects both the mind and body. The disorder is linked to imbalances in three brain chemicals, including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Many integrative therapies have been studied for their effects on patients with depression. St. John's wort and sage are among those with strong scientific evidence of benefit.

In a recent study, researchers conducted a comprehensive literature search to assess the effects of various herbs on patients with depression. The researchers identified nine human trials as qualified for inclusion in the review. Research on St. John's wort was excluded.

Among the studies, three evaluated the effects of saffron stigma on depression and two evaluated the effects saffron petal. One study compared the effects of saffron stigma to those of saffron petal. Studies assessing the effects of lavender, echium and rhodiola were also included.

The researchers found that saffron stigma, saffron petal and rhodiola were all reported as significantly more effective than placebo for the treatment of depression. Lavender combined with the antidepressant, imipramine, was found to be more effective than treatment with the antidepressant alone. Echium was also found to decrease depression scores when compared to placebo.

The authors concluded that herbs other than St. John's wort may be beneficial for patients with mild-to-moderate depression. Additional research is necessary confirm these findings.

For more information about integrative therapies for depression, please visit Natural Standard's Comparative Effectiveness database.

References

1.Dwyer AV, Whitten DL, Hawrelak JA. Herbal medicines, other than St. John's Wort, in the treatment of depression: a systematic review. Altern Med Rev. 2011 Mar;16(1):40-9. View Abstract

2.Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. http://www.naturalstandard.com/

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