title: Effects of Panax ginseng extract in patients with fibromyalgia: a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of an extract of Panax ginseng in patients with fibromyalgia. A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was carried out over 12 weeks to compare the effects of P. ginseng (100 mg/d) with amitriptyline (25 mg/d) and placebo in 38 patients with fibromyalgia: 13 in Group I (amitriptyline), 13 in Group II (placebo), and 12 in Group III (P. ginseng). Ratings on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) revealed a reduction in pain in the P. ginseng group (p < .0001), an improvement in fatigue (p < .0001) and an improvement in sleep (p < .001), with respect to baseline characteristics, but there were no differences between the three groups. With respect to anxiety, improvements occurred in the P. ginseng group compared to baseline (p < .0001); however, amitriptyline treatment resulted in significantly greater improvements (p < .05). P. ginseng reduced the number of tender points and improved patients' quality of life (using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire - FIQ); however, there were no differences between groups. The beneficial effects experienced by patients for all parameters suggest a need for further studies to be performed on the tolerability and efficacy of this phytotherapic as a complementary therapy for fibromyalgia.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandra S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Braz
authors.forename: Liana Clébia S
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.forename: Ana Patríca
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.forename: Margareth F F M
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: Reinaldo N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D005894:Panax; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000639:Amitriptyline