Comparative assessment of therapeutic potential of Vachadi and hingwadi ghrita in patients of mild to moderate depression

Abstract

Objective: This exploratory clinical study dealt with comparative assessment of therapeutic effect of medicated ghee formulations, i.e., Vachadi Ghrita (VG) and Hingwadi Ghrita (HG) in patients of mild to moderate depression. Methods: Open label non-randomized standard controlled clinical trial was carried out. Using Hamilton scale test, total 12 patients of mild to moderate depression were diagnosed and then grouped in two Groups (A and B). Patients of Group A and Group B received HG and VG along with standard antidepressants for 60 days, respectively. Pre, mid, and post HAMD scores of both group patients were recorded and compared. Data were analyzed with Friedman and Mann-Whitney statistical test. Results: Statistical analysis showed a significant gradual change in HAMD values for both study groups after 60 days of treatment (p<0.05). However, when the difference between pre- and post-treatment HAMD scores of both groups are statistically analyzed, HG demonstrated significant positive result in a reduction of HAMD scores (p=0.003, <0.05) compared to VG. Beneficial effects on patients appetite, bowel movement was seen for both group patients. Conclusion: Thus, it is concluded that along with antidepressants HG would be the better choice as an adjuvant drug than VG for patients of mild to moderate depression. More studies with the larger number should be done to validate this result.