title: Melissa officinalis extract in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a double blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and safety of Melissa officinalis extract using a fixed dose (60 drops/day) in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A four month, parallel group, placebo controlled trial undertaken in three centres in Tehran, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease aged between 65 and 80 years (n = 42; 18 women, 24 men) with a score of >or= 12 on the cognitive subscale of Alzheimer's disease assessment scale (ADAS-cog) and <or= 2 on the clinical dementia rating (CDR) were randomised to placebo or fixed dose of Melissa officinalis extract. The main efficacy measures were the change in the ADAS-cog and CDR-SB scores compared with baseline. Side effects were systematically recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At four months, Melissa officinalis extract produced a significantly better outcome on cognitive function than placebo (ADAS-cog: df = 1, F = 6.93, p = 0.01; CDR: df = 1, F = 16.87, p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the two groups in terms of observed side effects except agitation, which was more common in the placebo group (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melissa officinalis extract is of value in the management of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and has a positive effect on agitation in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. s.akhond@neda.net
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhondzadeh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noroozian
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohadinia
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Jamshidi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D031334:Melissa; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts; D028321:Plant Preparations