Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse freeze-dried aqueous extract versus sertraline in the treatment of major depression: A double blind randomized controlled trial

Background: Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder in the world. The conventional medications for depression, however, often have significant side effects. These adverse effects of conventional therapies, have motivated researchers to study alternative options including complementary and traditional treatments for solving the problem.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse freeze-dried aqueous extract with sertraline in the treatment of major depression.

Design and setting: From April to September of 2015, 72 patients from two psychiatry clinics of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences who met the criteria for major depression based on the structured clinical interview as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, participated in a two-armed double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Intervention: Subjects were randomly assigned to receive Nepeta menthoides or sertraline for four weeks.

Outcome measures: Patients were evaluated in terms of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) total score and common side effects of medications at the base line, the second and fourth weeks, and two weeks following the intervention (i.e. in the sixth week).

Results: The mean changes in the Beck Depression Inventory scores in Nepeta menthoides group were significantly higher in terms of the BDI-II scores diminution as compared to that of the control (p≤0.001). Two weeks follow up after intervention showed a lower recurrence rate in the Nepeta menthoides group (p≤0.001).

Conclusion: Nepeta menthoides may have potential benefits in the control of mood in patients suffering from major depression. Sustention of antidepressant effect and delay in the recurrence of depression could be considered worthwhile using this herb.