title: Effect of Korean Red Ginseng as an adjuvant treatment for women with residual symptoms of major depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Around 20% of patients with major depression experience residual symptoms. Ginseng has shown potential antidepressant effects in some animal studies and in patients with stress-related somatic symptoms. Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness and tolerability of Korean Red Ginseng adjuvant treatment in patients with residual symptoms of major depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this eight-week prospective study, 35 female outpatients aging from 18 to 65 years (45.1 ± 9.5), who were remitted from major depression with residual symptoms, were given Korean Red Ginseng at doses of 3 g/day. The Depression Residual Symptom Scale (DRSS) and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were administrated to evaluate depressive symptoms. The general severity of symptoms was assessed by a clinician using the Clinical Global Impressions Scale for Severity (CGI-S). The Depression and Somatic Symptom Scale (DSSS) was also used to evaluate somatic symptoms in the subjects. This trial is registered at Clinical.gov, number NCT01496248.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects reported significant decrease in depressive symptoms on the DRSS (P < 0.05) and MADRS (P < 0.01) decreased significantly over the eight-week period. The scores on the CGI-S, an objective measurement of symptoms, showed significant improvement in the severity of illness (P < 0.001). Somatic symptoms on the DSSS also attenuated significantly during the study period (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that Korean Red Ginseng is efficacious as an adjuvant treatment for patients experiencing residual symptoms of major depression. Future placebo-controlled research is required to confirm our results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Korea University Research Institute of Mental Health, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Ghang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Korea University Research Institute of Mental Health, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: So-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Korea University Research Institute of Mental Health, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Changsu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Taehee
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Korea University Research Institute of Mental Health, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sook-Haeng
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Joe
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002214:Capsules; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D005894:Panax; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002214:Capsules; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: alternative treatment; depression; ginseng; residual symptom