COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF SALVIA OFFICINALIS EXTRACT AND VITEX AGNUS-CASTUS EXTRACT ON ANXIETY IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN: A RANDOMIZED, TRIPLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to determine the effect of Salvia officinalis extract and Vitex agnus-castus extract on anxiety in postmenopausal women. Methods: This study was a triple-blind randomized controlled clinical trial on 99 eligible postmenopausal women in Shiraz, Iran. Sampling was done using at the beginning convenience sampling from among women referring to the clinic of Namazi Hospital in Shiraz, Iran, and then permuted block randomization was used to assign patients into three groups in a 1:1:1 ratio, who were divided into 3 groups (2 intervention groups and 1 control group). Data collection tools were a demographic questionnaire and the Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. The first intervention group received Agnogel tablets (3.2-1.8 mg) once daily, the second group received Salvigol tablets (100 mg) and the third group received placebo (100 mg starch) 3 times a day for 12 weeks. STAI was again completed by the subjects after 3 months. Data were analyzed by SPSS-18 using ANOVA and paired t-test at a significance level of 0.05. Results: Mean anxiety scores before and after the intervention were 83.3 ± 24.3 and 27.5 ± 12.7 in the Agnogol group; 84.1 ± 27.8 and 26.8 ± 7.4 in the Salvigol group; and 86.3 ± 32.1 and 34.8 ± 14.1 in the control group, respectively. Based on the results of paired t-test, the decrease in mean anxiety scores in the Salvigol and Agnogel groups were significant (P< 0.001).Conclusion: The present study showed that Salvia officinalis extract and Vitex agnus-castus extract may have a good effect on relieving anxiety, so they can be used as a low-cost method with no side effects to reduce anxiety and hypochondriasis in postmenopausal women.