title: Effects of Passion Flower Extract, as an Add-On Treatment to Sertraline, on Reaction Time in Patients ‎with Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.
abstract: Objective:Because of functional impairment caused by generalized anxiety disorder and due to cognitive side ‎effects of many anti-anxiety agents, in this study we aimed to evaluate the influence of Passion ‎flower standardized extract on reaction time in patients with generalized anxiety disorder.‎Method:Thirty patients aged 18 to 50 years of age, who were diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and ‎fulfilled the study criteria, entered this double-blind placebo-controlled study. Reaction time was ‎measured at baseline and after one month of treatment using computerized software. Correct ‎responses, omission and substitution errors and the mean time of correct responses (reaction time) in ‎both visual and auditory tests were collected. The analysis was performed between the two groups ‎and within each group utilizing SPSS PASW- statics, Version 18. P-value less than 0.05 was ‎considered statistically significant.‎Results:All the participants were initiated on Sertraline 50 mg/day, and the dosage was increased to 100 ‎mg / day after two weeks. Fourteen patients received Pasipy (Passion Flower) 15 drops three times ‎daily and 16 received placebo concurrently. Inter-group comparison proved no significant difference ‎in any of the test items between assortments while a significant decline was observed in auditory ‎omission errors in passion flower group after on month of treatment using intra-group analysis.‎‎Conclusion:This study noted that passion flower might be suitable as an add-on in the treatment of generalized ‎anxiety disorder with low side effects. Further studies with longer duration are recommended to ‎confirm the results of this study.‎.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Islamic Azad University of Pharmaceutical ‎Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mandana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nojoumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, ‎Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Padideh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ghaeli
authors.affiliation: Baharloo Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Samrand
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salimi
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Intelligent Signal Processing, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric and Psychology Research Centre, Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of ‎Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Firoozeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raisi
keywords: Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Mental Processing; Passion Flower; Reaction Time; Sertraline‎