StresNxiety

In this study, a database of 5428 papers between 1-Jan-1960 and 1-May-2016 was reviewed. 27 clinical trials with a total of 3808 patients were reviewed, comparing the use of St John’s wort and SSRI.

Authors of this review study conclude that for patients with mild-to-moderate depression, St John’s wort has comparable efficacy and safety when compared to SSRIs. Follow-up studies carried out over a longer duration should be planned to ascertain its benefits.

A single dosage, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 82 student participants (33 women). Each participant received placebo in one session and one of two dosages in the other session.

A significant positive effect of Remotiv 250 on digit span (mean Cohen’s d = 0.58; p = .01) was observed. By contrast, Remotiv 500 had a negative effect on digit span (mean d = - 0.48, p = 0.04). A similar effect emerged when factoring across tests of short-term memory. Both dosages improved mood (d = 0.60, p = .03).

The results indicate that acute treatment with small (250 mg) dosages of H. perforatum has a positive effect on the capacity of short-term verbal memory, and stress the importance of maintaining small dosages in nootropic applications.

A 4-week, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted with 64 nonclinical volunteers suffering psychological stress where the participants received VRE (100 mg) or a placebo thrice daily. Compared with the placebo group, the VRE group exhibited significantly greater increases in frontal brain region alpha coherence across four electrode pairs, and these changes were significantly correlated with anxiolysis. The VRE group also exhibited significantly greater decreases in theta coherence across another four electrodes pairs.

The authors concluded that these findings indicate that VRE alters functional brain connectivity in relation to anxiety.

The aim of this study was to examine the ability of Bacopa to inhibit the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from microglial cells, the immune cells of the brain that participate in inflammation in the CNS.

Various extracts of Bacopa were prepared and examined in the N9 microglial cell line in order to determine if they inhibited the release of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6.

Bacopa inhibits the release of inflammatory cytokines from microglial cells and inhibits enzymes associated with inflammation in the brain. Thus, Bacopa can limit inflammation in the CNS, and offers a promising source of novel therapeutics for the treatment of many CNS disorders.

The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with a placebo run-in of 6 weeks and a treatment period of 12 weeks. Fifty-four (54) participants, 65 or older (mean 73.5 years), without clinical signs of dementia, were recruited and randomized to Bacopa or placebo. Forty-eight (48) completed the study with 24 in each group.

Standardized B. monnieri extract 300 mg/day or a similar placebo tablet orally for 12 weeks.

Controlling for baseline cognitive deficit using the Blessed Orientation-Memory-Concentration test, Bacopa participants had enhanced AVLT delayed word recall memory scores relative to placebo. Stroop results were similarly significant, with the Bacopa group improving and the placebo group unchanged. CESD-10 depression scores, combined state plus trait anxiety scores, and heart rate decreased over time for the Bacopa group but increased for the placebo group.

B. monnieri has potential for safely enhancing cognitive performance in the aging.

In this 60-day, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study the stress-relieving and pharmacological activity of an ashwagandha extract was investigated in stressed, healthy adults. Outcomes were measured using the hamilton anxiety rating scale (ham-a), depression, anxiety, and stress scale -21 (dass-21), and hormonal changes in cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (dhea-s), and testosterone.

All participants completed the trial with no adverse events reported. In comparison with the placebo, ashwagandha supplementation was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the ham-a (p = .040) and a near-significant reduction in the dass-21 (p = .096).

These findings suggest that ashwagandha’s stress-relieving effects may occur via its moderating effect on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.

In this 60-day, randomized,Adaptogens are herbs that help in combating stress. Ayurvedic classical texts, animal studies and clinical studies describe ashwagandha as a safe and effective adaptogen.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha roots in reducing stress and anxiety and in improving the general well-being of adults who were under stress.

A total of 64 subjects with a history of chronic stress were enrolled into the study in a single center, prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. They were randomized to either the placebo control group or the study drug treatment group, and were asked to take one capsule twice a day for a period of 60 days. In the study drug treatment group, each capsule contained 300 mg of high-concentration full-spectrum extract from the root of the ashwagandha plant.

The treatment group that was given the high-concentration full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract exhibited a significant reduction (p<0.0001) in scores on all the stress-assessment scales on day 60, relative to the placebo group. The serum cortisol levels were substantially reduced (p=0.0006) in the ashwagandha group, relative to the placebo group. The adverse effects were mild in nature and were comparable in both the groups. No serious adverse events were reported.

The findings of this study suggest that a high-concentration full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.

In this study, chronic stress was induced by subjecting rats to restrainers for 6 h a day for 21 days. CP oil (400, 600 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) after stress protocol once a day over the next 14 days. Stressed rats showed enhanced anxiety-like behavior in EPM (P < 0.001) and impaired performance in RAM (P < 0.001) and T-maze tasks (P < 0.001) compared to normal animals. In contrast, CP oil treatment to these rats improved their performance in both RAM (P < 0.001) and T-maze (P < 0.001). In addition, CP oil significantly reduced stress-induced anxiety behavior (P < 0.001).

Chronic treatment with CP oil is to improve cognitive abilities in chronically stressed rats. This study provides a novel perspective on beneficial effect of herbal therapy on stress-induced cognitive dysfunctions.