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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01496248

Efficacy Study of Korean Red Ginseng to Treat Depression

The purpose of this study is to determine whether Korean Red Ginseng are effective in the treatment of the residual symptoms of depression as an adjuvant treatment.

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Key information

Conditions

Major Depressive Disorder Depressive Disorder Depressive Disorder, Major Mental Disorders Mood Disorders

Age range

18 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Korea University Ansan Hospital

Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, 425-707, South Korea

About this study

Thirty-five female outpatients aging from 18 to 65 years, who were remitted from major depression with residual symptoms (Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, MADRS ≤ 12), were given Korean red ginseng at doses of 3g / day during 8 weeks.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Outpatients who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for major depressive disorder.
  • Those who are in remission, which is defined as a MADRS score 8 on two consecutive visits at a 4-week interval.
  • Their primary psychiatric clinician determined that they would benefit from an adjuvant treatment of Korean red ginseng for residual symptoms.

Exclusion criteria

  • Those who have a history of substance abuse or dependence within 1 month.
  • Those who have clinically significant abnormal laboratory values or any other abnormal baseline laboratory findings considered by psychiatrists to be indicative of conditions that might affect the study results.
  • Those who have a past history of hypersensitivity or intolerance to Korean red ginseng.
  • Those who participated in clinical trials within 1 month before entering the study entry.
  • Those who are pregnant or are breast feeding.
  • Those who have a immediate risk of harming self or others or history of suicide attempts in the year before the screening precluded inclusion in the study.
  • The patients unable/unlikely to comprehend/follow the protocol.

Treatment and study plan

Korean Red Ginseng

Dietary Supplement

100% of the past psychiatric medication dose will be maintained during 8 week study period. Korean Red ginseng will be started with 2g/day and then maintained using flexible dosing of 2-3g/day during the study period.

Primary outcomes

  1. Depression Residual Symptom Scale

    Time frame: Baseline

    This consists of 25 items and includes specific residual depressive symptoms, e.g. sadness and anhedonia, lack of energy, psychomotor retardation and anxiety, as well as items reflecting subjective feelings of vulnerability, loss of internal reference points and increased emotionalism. Patients were instructed to compare the past 7 days with the period before the very first symptoms of the most recent depressive episode. Each item is scored as 0 to 3. A total score is the range from 0(none) to 75(most severe).

  2. Depression Residual Symptom Scale

    Time frame: 8 weeks

    This consists of 25 items and includes specific residual depressive symptoms, e.g. sadness and anhedonia, lack of energy, psychomotor retardation and anxiety, as well as items reflecting subjective feelings of vulnerability, loss of internal reference points and increased emotionalism. Patients were instructed to compare the past 7 days with the period before the very first symptoms of the most recent depressive episode. Each item is scored as 0 to 3. A total score is the range from 0(none) to 75(most severe).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Visual Analogue Scale

    Time frame: Baseline

    This has been described as simple, highly sensitive, and reliable rating scales for subjective experiences. The VAS in this study is used for assessing of variation in severity of residual symptoms. The subject is asked to indicate his/her perceived symptom severity along a 100 mm horizontal line, and this rating is then measure from the left edge (0, no symptom) to right edge (100, most severe).

  2. Visual Analogue Scale

    Time frame: 8 weeks

    This has been described as simple, highly sensitive, and reliable rating scales for subjective experiences. The VAS in this study is used for assessing of variation in severity of residual symptoms. The subject is asked to indicate his/her perceived symptom severity along a 100 mm horizontal line, and this rating is then measure from the left edge (0, no symptom) to right edge (100, most severe).

  3. Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale

    Time frame: Baseline

    This is a 10-item depression rating scale, widely used in depressed patients. Each item is rated from 0 to 6. A total score is the range from 0(none) to 60(most severe). The MADRS has been designed to measure severity of depression in clinical samples and be sensitive to change during antidepressant treatment.

  4. Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale

    Time frame: 8 weeks

    This is a 10-item depression rating scale, widely used in depressed patients. Each item is rated from 0 to 6. A total score is the range from 0(none) to 60(most severe). The MADRS has been designed to measure severity of depression in clinical samples and be sensitive to change during antidepressant treatment.

  5. Clinical Global Index

    Time frame: Baseline

    This was developed for use in psychopharmacology trials and then, it has been expanded in its use as a standard primary measure in studies investigating the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for various psychiatric illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder. The CGI-S rates the severity of the patient's illness, on a 7-point scale ranging from 1(Normal) 1 to 7(Extremely ill), according to the clinician's experience of patients suffering from the same condition.

  6. Clinical Global Index

    Time frame: 8 weeks

    This was developed for use in psychopharmacology trials and then, it has been expanded in its use as a standard primary measure in studies investigating the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for various psychiatric illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder. The CGI-S rates the severity of the patient's illness, on a 7-point scale ranging from 1(Normal) 1 to 7(Extremely ill), according to the clinician's experience of patients suffering from the same condition.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Korea University

Other

Collaborators

  • The Korean Society of Ginseng

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Korean Red Ginseng as Adjuvant Treatment for the Residual Symptoms of Depression

Important dates

Study start
2011
Primary completion
2012
Study completion
2012
First posted
Dec 21, 2011
Registry last updated
Oct 10, 2014

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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