Document Type : Randomized Clinical Trials (RCT)
Authors
1 Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
2 School of Nursing Hazrat Zahra (P.B.U.H) Abadeh, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
3 Student of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
4 Student Research Committee, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran,
5 Imam Reza Teaching Hospital, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
Abstract
Background: One of the treatments for depression and anxiety which has significantly increased in recent years in most countries is drinking lavender and chamomile herbal tea. The current study aimed to compare the result of these two types of herbal drinks on anxiety and depression in the postmenopausal women.
Methods: The present study is a randomized clinical trial conducted in 2020. It was recorded with the code of IRCT20090304001742N6 in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. The total sample size was 96 people. In the current study, the depression questionnaire (created by Beck) and anxiety questionnaire (created by Spielberger) were used to assess the contributors. Each intervention group received 2 g of dried lavender and chamomile leaves, which were cooked twice daily—once in the morning and once at night—in 300 ml of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes—as part of the intervention. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, paired t-tests, and chi-square.
Results: The average score of depression in the lavender tea group was reduced from 21.00±4.10 to 18.56±3.24 (P<0.001). In the group which consumed chamomile herbal tea, the average score of depression in the pre-intervention stage was 22.00±3.97, while after consuming chamomile herbal tea, it decreased to 18.31±3.05 (P<0.001). The mean score of depression among the groups that used lavender and the control group showed a significant difference. Although there was a non-significant difference between the average anxiety (state and trait) scores in the control group at the start and end of the study (P=0.058, P=0.083), there was a significant difference between the mean anxiety (state and trait) scores in the intervention groups before and after the intervention (P<0.001). Furthermore, the average score of depression between the group that used lavender and the control group displayed a significant difference (P=0.021).
Conclusions: In general, drinking lavender or chamomile herbal tea could alleviate the level of anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women.
Keywords
- Mohammad H, Mansureh G, Hossein R. Sexual Self-concept and Its Relationship to Depression, Stress and Anxiety in Postmenopausal Women. Journal of Menopausal Medicine. 2017;23::42-8. ##
- Reed SD, Ludman EJ, Newton KM, Grothaus LC, LaCroix AZ, Nekhlyudov L, et al. Depressive symptoms and menopausal burden in the midlife. Maturitas. 2009;62(3):306-10. ##
- Gordon JL, Rubinow DR, Eisenlohr-Moul TA, Leserman J, Girdler SS. Estradiol variability, stressful life events and the emergence of depressive symptomatology during the Menopause Transition. Menopause (New York, NY). 2016;23(3):257. ##
- Bromberger JT, Kravitz HM, Chang Y-F, Cyranowski JM, Brown C, Matthews KA. Major depression during and after the menopausal transition: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Psychological medicine. 2011;41(9):1879-88. ##
- Hany BE, Aron W, Nachum V, Shulamith K. The relationship of depression, anxiety and stress with low bone mineral density in post-menopausal women. Arch Osteoporos. 2012 7:247–55. ##
- Akhondzadeh S. Herbal medicines in the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Low-Cost Approaches to Promote Physical and Mental Health. 2007:119-38. ##
- Wang S. Attitudes of patient undergoing surgery toward attractive medical treatment. J Altern Complement Med 2002;8(3):357-6. ##
- Akhondzadeh S, Kashani L, Fotouhi A, Jarvandi S, Mobaseri M, Moin M, et al. Comparison of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. tincture and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized trial. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry. 2003;27(1):123-7. ##
- Koulivand PH, Khaleghi Ghadiri M, Gorji A. Lavender and the nervous system. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. 2013;2013. ##
- Sayorwan W, Siripornpanich V, Piriyapunyaporn T, Hongratanaworakit T, Kotchabhakdi N, Ruangrungsi N. The effects of lavender oil inhalation on emotional states, autonomic nervous system, and brain electrical activity. 2012. ##
- Salah SM, Jäger AK. Two flavonoids from Artemisia herba-alba Asso with in vitro GABAA-benzodiazepine receptor activity. Journal of ethnopharmacology. 2005;99(1):145-6. ##
- Yamada K, Mimaki Y, Sashida Y. Effects of inhaling the vapor of Lavandula burnatii super-derived essential oil and linalool on plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), catecholamine and gonadotropin levels in experimental menopausal female rats. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 2005;28(2):378-9. ##
- Chang SM, Chen CH. Effects of an intervention with drinking chamomile tea on sleep quality and depression in sleep disturbed postnatal women: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of advanced nursing. 2016;72(2):306-15. ##
- Amsterdam JD, Li Y, Soeller I, Rockwell K, Mao JJ, Shults J. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy of generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of clinical psychopharmacology. 2009;29(4):378. ##
- Tschiggerl C, Bucar F. Guaianolides and volatile compounds in chamomile tea. Plant foods for human nutrition. 2012;67(2):129-35. ##
- Alireza M. Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of essential oils of chamomile from Neyshabur, Iran. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research. 2012;6(5):820-4. ##
- Yeung KS, Hernandez M, Mao JJ, Haviland I, Gubili J. Herbal medicine for depression and anxiety: A systematic review with assessment of potential psycho‐oncologic relevance. Phytotherapy Research. 2018;32(5):865-91. ##
- World Health Organization, WHO traditional medicine strategy: 2014-2023: World Health Organization; 2013. ##
- Farshbaf-Khalili A, Kamalifard M, Namadian M. Comparison of the effect of lavender and bitter orange on anxiety in postmenopausal women: A triple-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Complementary therapies in clinical practice. 2018;31:132-8. ##
- Beck AT, Beck RW. Screening depressed patients in family practice: A rapid technic. Postgraduate medicine. 1972;52(6):81-5. ##
- Rahimi C. Application of the Beck Depression Inventory-II in Iranian University Students. Clinical Psychology & Personality. 2014;2(10):173-88. ##
- Spielberger CD, Gorsuch RL, Lushene RE. The state-trait anxiety inventory: test manual. Palo Alto, CA, Consulting Psychologists. 1970;22. ##
- Nikfarjam M, Parvin N, Asarzadegan N. The effect of Lavandula angustifolia in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. Journal of Shahrekord Uuniversity of Medical Sciences. 2010;11(4):66-73. ##
- Chen SL, Chen CH. Effects of Lavender Tea on Fatigue, Depression, and Maternal-Infant Attachment in Sleep-Disturbed Postnatal Women. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2015;12(6):370-9. ##
- Kianpour M, Mansouri A, Mehrabi T, Asghari G. Effect of lavender scent inhalation on prevention of stress, anxiety and depression in the postpartum period. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research. 2016;21(2):197. ##
- Jokar M, Delam H, Bakhtiari S, Paki S, Askari A, Bazrafshan M-R, et al. The Effects of Inhalation Lavender Aromatherapy on Postmenopausal Women’s Depression and Anxiety: A Randomized Clinical Trial. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 2020;16(8):617-22. ##
- Chen SL, Chen CH. Effects of Lavender tea on fatigue, depression, and maternal‐infant attachment in sleep‐disturbed postnatal women. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing. 2015;12(6):370-9. ##
- Bazrafshan M-R, Jokar M, Shokrpour N, Delam H. The effect of lavender herbal tea on the anxiety and depression of the elderly: a randomized clinical trial. Complementary therapies in medicine. 2020:102393. ##
- Jafari-Koulaee A, Elyasi F, Taraghi Z, Ilali ES, Moosazadeh M. A systematic review of the effects of aromatherapy with lavender essential oil on depression. Central Asian Journal of Global Health. 2020;9(1). ##
- Jafari-Koulaee A, Khenarinezhad F, Sharifi Razavi A, Bagheri-Nesami M. The Effect of Aromatherapy with Lavender Essence on Depression and Headache Disability in Migraine Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Medicinal Plants. 2019;2(70):162-72. ##
- Bagheri-Nesami M, Shorofi SA, Nikkhah A, Espahbodi F. The effects of lavender essential oil aromatherapy on anxiety and depression in haemodialysis patients. Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Research. 2017;3(1):8-13. ##
- Janizadeh E, Badami R, Torkan A. A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Yoga and Lavender on Symptoms of Depression in Elderly Women. Journal of Research in Behavioural Sciences. 2017;14(4):421-7. ##
- Amsterdam JD, Li QS, Xie SX, Mao JJ. Putative antidepressant effect of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) oral extract in subjects with comorbid generalized anxiety disorder and depression. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2020;26(9):815-21. ##
- Ghamchini VM, Salami M, Mohammadi GR, Moradi Z, Kavosi A, Movahedi A, et al. The Effect of Chamomile Tea on Anxiety and Depression in Cancer Patients Treated with Chemotherapy. Journal of Young Pharmacists. 2019;11(3):309. ##
- Rafii F, Ameri F, Haghani H, Ghobadi A. The effect of aromatherapy massage with lavender and chamomile oil on anxiety and sleep quality of patients with burns. Burns. 2020;46(1):164-71. ##
- Zamanifar S, Bagheri-Saveh MI, Nezakati A, Mohammadi R, Seidi J. The effect of Music Therapy and Aromatherapy with Chamomile-Lavender Essential Oil on the Anxiety of Clinical Nurses: A Randomized and Double-Blind Clinical Trial. Journal of Medicine and Life. 2020;13(1):87. ##