The Effects of GABA, L-Theanine, Passiflora Incarnata and Prunus Cerasus in Reducing the Symptoms of Nervousness in Individuals with Anxiety and/or Depression
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-5634.2014.03.04.5Keywords:
Anxiety, GABA, L-theanine, passiflora incarnata, prunus cerasus.Abstract
Introduction: Affecting more than 21 million American children and adults, anxiety with or without depression is the leading cause of disability in the USA for individuals ages 15 – 44. Treatment, traditionally has been with prescription medication that is addictive, prone to pharmaceutical abuse and if prescribed appropriately, requires intensive physician involvement and monitoring. The utilization of herbal supplementation has been successfully utilized for many years to treat mood disorders, however scientific analysis of benefits has been lacking. The objective of this study is to scientifically analyze the effectiveness of the combination of GABA, L-theanine, passiflora incarnata and prunus cerasus in the treatment of the symptoms associated with Anxiety.
Methods: Two cohorts of volunteers received study compound (n=30) or placebo (n=30). Subjects were instructed to take 4 capsules daily for 7 consecutive days. Every participant completed both the HAM-A (Hamilton anxiety scale) and the SAS (Zung Self Rating Anxiety Scale). Both scales were completed pre & post study. The Student – T test was performed on all data.
Results: HAM-A: Subjects receiving active study compound showed marked improvements in the HAM-A global score. SAS: The Zung SAS symptom scores of all subjects receiving active study compound were markedly improved. There were no side effects reported by any of the study participants.
Conclusions: Subjects receiving this unique study compound (GABA, L-theanine, passiflora incarnata and prunus cerasus) received marked improvement in their symptoms of anxiety as demonstrated via two separate and clinically significant assessment tools (HAM-A & Zung SAS) when compared to placebo group. This combination of supplements represents a viable and safe adjunct to the short term treatment of mild to moderate anxiety without the use of prescription medication.
References
ADAA. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 1999; 60(7).
Weich S, Pearce HL, Croft P, Singh S, Crome I, Bashford J, Frisher M. Effect of anxiolytic and hypnotic drug prescriptions on mortality hazards: retrospective cohort study. BMJ 2014; 348. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g1996
Inoue K, Shirai T, Ochiai H, et al. Blood-pressure-lowering effect of a novel fermented milk containing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in mild hypertensives. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003; 57: 490-495. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601555 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601555
Theanine. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Therapeutic Research Faculty, 2013. 8 November 2013.
Wakabayashi C. et al. Behavioral and molecular evidence for psychotropic effects in L-theanine. Psychopharmacology 2011. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neures.2011.07.858
Dhawan K, Kumar S, Sharma A. Anxiolytic activity of aerial and underground parts of Passiflora incarnate. Fitoterapia 2001; 72 (8): 922-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(01)00322-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(01)00322-7
Akhondzadeh S, Naghave HR, Va M, Shayeganganpour A, Rashidi H, Khani M. Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: A pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazapam. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 26(5): 363-367. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2710.2001.00367.x
Zung William WK. A rating instrument for anxiety disorders. Psychosomatics 1971. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0033-3182(71)71479-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0033-3182(71)71479-0
Hamilton M. The assessment of anxiety states by rating. Br J Med Psychol 1959; 32: 50-55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8341.1959.tb00467.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8341.1959.tb00467.x
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Policy for Journals/Articles with Open Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work
Policy for Journals / Manuscript with Paid Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Publisher retain copyright .
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work .