Depression is the most commonly diagnosed condition in general practice next to hypertension, according to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Although 16 percent of the adult population in the United States will have an episode of depression at some point in life, less than 25 percent will get treatment.
Antidepressant drugs such as imipramine and sertraline are the treatment of choice for many people, but there is preliminary scientific evidence supporting the use of herbal medicines as well. Please consult a doctor before using naturopathic remedies for depression.
Saffron
Saffron is the spice derived from the plant crocus sativus, reports the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. It is considered to be one of the most expensive spices in the world in its purest form because it is hand- cultivated and harvested in a labor-intensive process. At least 75,000 of saffron blossoms are required to produce a single pound of saffron, according to the study "A Pilot Double-blind Randomized Trial" on BioMed Central Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
It is the saffron seed extract that is used for medicinal purposes in many countries, including Iran, where one of the first studies on the use of saffron for the treatment of depression was conducted. Researchers concluded that saffron was just as effective as imipramine, an established tricyclic antidepressant. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database stresses that more research on saffron is necessary, but describes it as "likely safe" and "possibly effective."
Lavender
English lavender, or Lavandula angustifolia, is used around the world in products ranging from massage oils to tea. It is deemed GRAS, or generally recognized as safe, for use in foods by the Food and Drug Administration.
In another Iranian study posted by the Natural Medicines database, tincture of lavender taken orally was found to be just slightly less effective than imipramine in treating mild to moderate depression. It showed promise, however, as a complementary therapy to other antidepressants. The database also points out that the lavender oil used for bathing and aromatherapy is never safe to consume by mouth. The National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus site states that there is a slight positive effect seen when lavender aromatherapy is used to combat anxiety.
St. John's Wort
St. John's wort, or hypericum perforatum, is considered an effective treatment for mild depression by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. It contains compounds that enhance the brain chemicals responsible for regulating mood, most notably serotonin, according to the Natural Medicines Database.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine sponsored a review of 29 clinical studies from various countries in partnership with German universities. They concluded that St. John's wort was more effective than placebo in the treatment of mild to moderately severe depression, although results were disproportionately positive in German studies. St John's wort is widely used to treat depression in Germany. The Center states that although preliminary research is encouraging, more major clinical trials of St John's Wort are necessary.
References
- Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database: Saffron
- BioMed Central Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Comparison of Crocus sativus L. and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: A pilot double-blind randomized trial
- Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database: Lavender
- Medline Plus: Lavender
- PubMed.gov: Comparison of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. tincture and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized trial.
