title: Phytopharmaceutical treatment of anxiety, depression, and dementia in the elderly: evidence from randomized, controlled clinical trials.
abstract: Based on subgroup analyses of randomized, controlled clinical trials, we review the efficacy of three phytopharmaceutical drugs, respectively of the corresponding active substances silexan® (WS® 1265, lavender oil) in anxiety disorders, WS® 5570 (Hypericum extract) in major depression, and EGb 761® (Ginkgo biloba extract) in Alzheimer, vascular, or mixed type dementia, in elderly patients aged ≥ 60 years. Four trials were eligible in each indication. Meta-analyses and analyses based on pooled raw data showed that the three drugs were significantly superior to placebo in the elderly subset, and that their treatment effects reflected in the main outcome measures (Hamilton Anxiety scale, Hamilton Depression scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory) were comparable with those observed in the original trials without age restrictions. The results confirm the efficacy of the three herbal active substances in elderly patients of ≥ 60 years of age. In anxiety, depression, and dementia, they thus represent efficacious and well-tolerated alternatives to synthetic drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria, sci-biolpsy@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D006801:Humans; D027523:Lavandula; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; C446504:WS 5570; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract; C045718:lavender oil