TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy of the herbal medicine Unkei-to as an adjunctive treatment to hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women with depressive symptoms
AU - Koike, Koji
AU - Ohno, Satoshi
AU - Takahashi, Noriko
AU - Suzuki, Nobutaka
AU - Nozaki, Noriko
AU - Murakami, Kouichi
AU - Sugiura, Kouichi
AU - Yamada, Kiyofumi
AU - Inoue, Masaki
PY - 2004/7
Y1 - 2004/7
N2 - Objective: Although hormone replacement therapy (HRT) improves menopausal depressive symptoms, women unresponsive to HRT need an antidepressant drug as an effective adjunctive therapy. The aim of this study was to assess whether the herbal medicine Unkei-to has an impact on HRT-resistant menopausal depressive symptoms as an effective adjunctive therapy combined with HRT. Methods: Twenty-four HRT-resistant menopausal depressive women were randomly assigned to group 1 (n = 12) or group 2 (n = 12). Subjects in group 1 were accessioned into 6 months of open treatment with Unkei-to as an adjunctive therapy and changed to Toki-shakuyaku-san for 6 months following a 1-month washout period. Group 2 started with Toki-shakuyaku-san for 6 months and then changed to Unkei-to for 6 months following a 1-month washout period. Results: Three months' treatment with Unkei-to as an adjunctive therapy significantly improved Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS) scores, State-Anxiety (STAI-1) scores, and Trait-Anxiety (STAI-2) scores noted before treatment, and this effect continued at 6 months. Treatment with Unkei-to was also significantly effective in reduction of ZSDS scores, STAI-1 scores, and STAI-2 scores at 3 months compared with Toki-shakuyaku-san treatment, and this effect continued at 6 months. Conclusions: Unkei-to is another option as an adjunctive herbal therapy in HRT-resistant menopausal depressive women.
AB - Objective: Although hormone replacement therapy (HRT) improves menopausal depressive symptoms, women unresponsive to HRT need an antidepressant drug as an effective adjunctive therapy. The aim of this study was to assess whether the herbal medicine Unkei-to has an impact on HRT-resistant menopausal depressive symptoms as an effective adjunctive therapy combined with HRT. Methods: Twenty-four HRT-resistant menopausal depressive women were randomly assigned to group 1 (n = 12) or group 2 (n = 12). Subjects in group 1 were accessioned into 6 months of open treatment with Unkei-to as an adjunctive therapy and changed to Toki-shakuyaku-san for 6 months following a 1-month washout period. Group 2 started with Toki-shakuyaku-san for 6 months and then changed to Unkei-to for 6 months following a 1-month washout period. Results: Three months' treatment with Unkei-to as an adjunctive therapy significantly improved Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS) scores, State-Anxiety (STAI-1) scores, and Trait-Anxiety (STAI-2) scores noted before treatment, and this effect continued at 6 months. Treatment with Unkei-to was also significantly effective in reduction of ZSDS scores, STAI-1 scores, and STAI-2 scores at 3 months compared with Toki-shakuyaku-san treatment, and this effect continued at 6 months. Conclusions: Unkei-to is another option as an adjunctive herbal therapy in HRT-resistant menopausal depressive women.
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U2 - 10.1097/01.wnf.0000138634.34498.05
DO - 10.1097/01.wnf.0000138634.34498.05
M3 - Article
C2 - 15319700
AN - SCOPUS:4344658205
SN - 0362-5664
VL - 27
SP - 157
EP - 162
JO - Clinical Neuropharmacology
JF - Clinical Neuropharmacology
IS - 4
ER -