[Clinical observation on effect of danzhi xiaoyao powder in treating depression].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect and side effect of Danzhi Xiaoyao powder (DXP) in treating depression.


METHODS
A randomized controlled and double-blinded study was conducted in 63 cases of depression by divided them into the western medicine group (WMG, 31 cases) treated with maprotiline, and the Chinese medicine group (CMG, 32 cases) treated with DXP. The effect of therapy was evaluated before and at the 2nd, 4th and 6th week of the treatment with Hamilton's depressive scale (HAMD), self-rating depression scale (SDS), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and the scale for TCM syndrome and symptom differentiation (TCM-SSD), and the side-effect of therapy was assessed with Asberg side-effect scale as well.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference between the two groups in scores of HAMD, SDS, SAS, and TCM-SSD. The markedly effective rate in CMG was 84% and in WMG 87%, showed no significance between them (P > 0.05). The scores of HAMD, SDS and SAS of both groups were remarkably lowered after therapy (P < 0.05). However, the score of Asberg in CMG was lower than that in WMG (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
DXP shows the effect equivalent to that of maprotiline, but with obviously less side-effect.
Luo
He-Chun
HC
Department of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine, The Sixth Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University, Beijing (100083).
Qian
Rui-Qin
RQ
Zhao
Xue-Ying
XY
Bi
Juan
J
Xin
Hongling
H
Jiang
Xuezhu
X
Xu
Ke
K
Yan
Shaoxiao
S
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008376:Maprotiline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C516449:xiaoyao; D008376:Maprotiline