Consuming Saffron for Treatment of Depression

Depression is usually treated with the combination of mental, psychic therapy and pharmaceutical therapy. In the same direction, Paroxetine (Paxil tm) and Fluoxetine (Prozac tm) are of anti-depressant medicines which will boost serotonin surface in brain and improvement of mental and psychic condition of individual. In most cases, one type of medicine is prescribed simultaneously to individual with the aim of soothing depression. However, some people are not able to tolerate side effect of anti-depressant medicines, which includes anxiety, inappetency, and sexual malfunctions. Hence, resorting to herbal medicine is increasing as a substitute medicine for treatment of depression as well. Similar to other treatment methods, which are prescribed for the treatment of depression, saffron, as a result of increasing surfaces of specific chemical compounds such as serotonin in brain, may produce anti-depressant properties. In a study, made by Keith Scott and colleagues, saffron prescription effects with Fluoxetine were studied on adjustment of depression. Ay this sample test, a number of 38 persons, ranging from 18 to 55 years old, was studied for a period of full six weeks. The persons, selected at this research study, received 30 mm dry essence of saffron, including 7% mm of safranal or 20 mm of Fluoxetine per each day. In the same direction, symptoms of depression were studied according to Hamilton Rating Scale at first, second, fourth and sixth weeks. Conclusion: At the end of the present research study, it became clear that treating with two compounds of saffron and Fluoxetine resulted in improvement and amelioration of depression symptoms. Not any difference was observed in treating persons with the two mentioned therapeutic medicines (i.e. saffron and fluoxetine). However, sexual malfunction, perspiration and trepidation (trembling) were not observed with regard to the group who were treated with saffron.

Back