Several transparent capsules with a yellowish powder inside lie in a wooden bowl.

Study: Effect of Ayurveda on depression and schizophrenia

Jessica M Gannon, et al.

May 2019

Ayurveda medicine / treatment

Mental health

This study investigated the effect of ashwagandha extracts (sometimes referred to as Indian ginseng) in the treatment of depression and anxiety in people with schizophrenia. The 66 patients were observed over a 12-week period, with some receiving the ashwagandha extracts while others were given a placebo. The results of the study suggest that ashwagandha could be a promising treatment for depression and anxiety, especially as the patients who received the extract had little or no side effects.

The most important information on the study at a glance

Indications: Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia
Institution: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
Title: Study: Effect of Ayurveda on depression and schizophrenia
Brief description: A study shows that ashwagandha extracts alleviate depression and anxiety in schizophrenia with few side effects.
Original title: Effects of a standardized extract of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on depression and anxiety symptoms in persons with schizophrenia participating in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Link to the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31046033/