title: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of inositol treatment for panic disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because they found in an earlier study that inositol, an important intracellular second-messenger precursor, was effective against depression in open and double-blind trials, the authors studied its effectiveness against panic disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-week, random-assignment crossover treatment trial of 12 g/day of inositol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency and severity of panic attacks and the severity of agoraphobia declined significantly more after inositol than after placebo administration. Side effects were minimal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors conclude that inositol's efficacy, the absence of significant side effects, and the fact that inositol is a natural component of the human diet make it a potentially attractive therapeutic for panic disorder.
authors.affiliation: Soroka Medical Center, Kupat Holim Sick Fund of the Histadrut, Beersheba, Israel.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benjamin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fux
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aviv
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Belmaker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D010919:Placebos; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D007294:Inositol