BackgroundMany herbs have been used to treat psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression in traditional medicine.ObjectivesThis study was carried out to determine the effect of using Lavandula angustifilia infusion on depression in patients taking Citalopram.Patients and MethodsAmong all patients referred to the Hajar Hospital psychiatric clinic, Shahrekord, Iran, 80 patients who met the criteria of major depression according to the structured interviews and the Hamilton questionnaire for Depression were included in the study. They were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental treatment group and standard treatment group at this study. In standard treatment group, the patients were given Citalopram 20 mg. In experimental treatment group, the patients took 2 cups of the infusion of 5 g dried Lavandula angustifilia in addition to tablet Citalopram 20 mg twice a day. The patients were followed up for four and eight weeks of the study onset using Hamilton Scale questionnaire and treatment side effects form. Data were analyzed using student t-test, pair t-test and chi square.ResultsAfter four weeks of the trial onset, the mean depression score according to the Hamilton Scale for Depression was 17.5 ± 3.5 in the standard treatment group and 15.2 ± 3.6 in the experimental treatment group (P < 0.05). After eight weeks, it was 16.8±4.6 and 14.8±4 respectively (P < 0.01). In addition, the most commonly observed adverse effects were nausea (12.8 %) and confusion (10%). In terms of side effects, there were no significant differences between two groups.ConclusionsConsidering the results of this study, Lavandula angustifilia infusion has some positive therapeutic effects on depressed patients most importantly decreases mean depression score and might be used alone or as an adjunct to other anti-depressant drugs.

Background:Despite the availability of an ever-expanding range of typical and atypical antipsychotics, a substantial proportion of patients with schizophrenia show a partial or total lack of response to antipsychotic mono therapy. This study was done to evaluate the effect of purslane on psychologic symptoms of schizophrenic patients.Materials and methods:This randomized clinical trial study was carried out on 60 chronic schizophrenic patients in Sina hospital Shahrekord, Iran during 2011-12. Subjects were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The control group received Risperidone up to 6mg/day and Biperiden 4mg/day for 8 weeks. The Patients in interventional group received 1gr extract of purslane daily with the same regimen for 8 weeks. The scales for assessment of positive symptoms (SAPS) and assessment of negative symptoms (SANS) were recorded in prior and 8th weeks. In addition, CRP and MDA level of patients were assessed in two stage of study.Results:At the end of study, the mean score of positive symptoms were 47.93±18.56 and 57.1±14.83 in intervention and control groups, respectively (P< 0.05), and the mean score of negative symptoms were 40.83±11.03 and 46.13± 9.34 (P< 0.05).The CRP levels of patients in intervention and control groups were .53±.55 and 1.72±.73 at 8 week respectively (P< .05) and the MDA levels were 3.25±1.25 and 5.43± 1.76 respectively (P< .05).Conclusion:According to findings of this study, the use of purslane as an adjunct to Respridone can improve psychological condition of chronic schizophrenic patients and decrease MDA and CRP levels of them.

Adding or a placebo is equally effective in decreasing mean depression score and venlafaxine obviously decreased this score.

Introduction: Opioid dependence relapse is a complex and multidimensional problem, and lack of spiritual well-being is a major concern in opioid addicts.Aim: This study was conducted to determine spiritual well-being and factors associated with relapse among opioid addicts. Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2015 to September 2015. According to purposive sampling, 312 eligible addicted patients were enrolled in the study. The patients had at least an attempt of detoxification in the past six months and referred to an outpatient detoxification clinic in Shahrekord (Southwest, Iran). They completed Paloutzian and Ellison's Spiritual Well-being Scale. A researcher-developed questionnaire consisting of demographic characteristics and 20 questions about associated factors with relapse was administered. Data were analysed by version 16.0 (SPSS Inc.,Chicago, IL) using one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation test, chi-square, Friedman test, and student's t-test. Results:The most important factors associated with opioid dependence relapse consist of relation with an addict friend, unemployment, living expenses, family conflicts, and somatic pain. In the present study, 157 patients had never experienced relapse while the mean of relapse in the rest participants was (3.25±1.53) times. Furthermore, the addicted patients with relapse had significantly lower scores of spiritual well-being and its subscales compared with non-relapse patients (p<0.001). Conclusion:The findings of the present study indicate the necessity of paying attention to spiritual well-being, family and economical, personal, and occupational factors as crucial factors in opiate addiction relapse. Mohammad-Reza Noormohammadi et al., Spiritual Well-Being and Factors Associated with Relapse www.jcdr.net

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