Saffron Shows Promise for Depression

by | Jan 29, 2018 | 2015, Botanicals, Brain Health, Depression

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Four weeks of crocin plus an antidepressive significantly improved symptoms of depression in the twenty participating subjects diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

depressionAccording to the American Psychiatric Association, one in fifteen (6-7%) of U.S. workers suffers from major depressive disorder (MDD) at a cost of $210.5 billion per year 1. The most common medications for treating major depression target a nerve chemical in the brain called serotonin. These medications, called “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors”, have been shown to be effective for major depressive symptoms but come with side effects that include nausea, constipation, sedation, irregular heartbeat, abnormal weight fluctuation and sexual dysfunction 2-4. As a result, finding more natural approaches to help with major depressive disorder are needed. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of crocin, the main active component of saffron, as an adjunctive treatment in MDD.

A 2015 Iranian double-blind, prospective, placebo-controlled, 4-week clinical trial 5, consisted of forty subjects (6 males, 34 females) between the ages of 28 and 43 who were diagnosed with MDD based on the Beck Depression Inventory 6. The intervention group of twenty subjects was given crocin, a component of saffron, (15 mg twice daily). Both intervention and control groups were given one of three antidepressant medications: fluoxetine 20 mg/day, sertraline 50mg/day or citalopram 20mg/day. The subjects followed these protocols for four weeks. Baseline beck depression inventory (BDI), beck anxiety inventory (BAI), general health questionnaire (GHQ), the mood disorder questionnaire (MDQ) were done at baseline and repeated at the end of four weeks. 7

Results: Participants who took crocin and an antidepressive showed significantly improved scores on BDI, BAI and GHQ compared to the control group that took only an antidepressive (p<0.0001).

Researchers noted the following after 4 weeks of treatment:

Depression effectp - valueAnxiety effectp - value
Crocin44.2% decrease (43 to 24)< 0.000131.6% decrease (38 to 26)< 0.0001
Control13.2% decrease (38 to 33)< 0.00015.6% decrease (36 to 34)< 0.0001

When suggesting a mechanism for crocin’s benefit to those suffering from depression, the researchers pointed to studies suggesting crocin may affect levels of brain chemicals dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin that are “strongly affected in depression” 8,9.

Study limitations were the small number of participants as well as the short duration.

Researchers conclude that crocin, a component of saffron, “amplified the effects of medications in treatment of patients with mild to moderate depression” but maintain that “further research works are required to clarify the mechanism of this effect.”

Source: Talaei, Ali, Maryam Hassanpour Moghadam, Sayyed Abolghasem Sajadi Tabassi, and Seyed Ahmad Mohajeri. “Crocin, the main active saffron constituent, as an adjunctive treatment in major depressive disorder: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot clinical trial.” Journal of affective disorders 174 (2015): 51-56.

© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Posted January 29, 2018.

Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, practices in Hauppauge, NY. As a Certified Strength and Condition Specialist and certified baseball pitching coach with the National Pitching Association, Dr. Arnold specializes in nutrition, conditioning, and injury prevention of baseball pitchers and student-athletes from all athletic backgrounds. Dr. Arnold completed his Chiropractic studies at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, IL. Visit his web site at www.pitchingdoc.com.

References:

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  9. Hosseinzadeh H, Karimi G, Niapoor M. Antidepressant effect of Crocus sativus L. stigma extracts and their constituents, crocin and safranal, in mice. Paper presented at: I International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Biotechnology 6502003.