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Ayurvedic medicine for schizophrenia.
V Agarwal1, A Abhijnhan, P Raviraj
1St Jame's Trust Hospital, 5 St Jame's Court, Leeds, UK, LS9 7DF. drspecials@gmail.com
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|October 19, 2007
Summary
Ayurvedic medicine shows potential for schizophrenia treatment, but evidence is limited to small trials. Further research is needed to confirm its efficacy and safety compared to standard antipsychotic drugs.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional Indian system, has a long history of use for mental health conditions.
- Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder requiring effective treatment options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the effects of Ayurvedic medicine or treatments for schizophrenia.
- To assess the efficacy and safety of Ayurvedic interventions compared to placebo and conventional antipsychotic drugs.
Main Methods:
- Searched major databases (Cochrane Schizophrenia Group, AMED) and trial references for relevant randomized controlled trials.
- Included studies comparing Ayurvedic treatments with placebo or antipsychotic drugs for schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like psychoses.
- Extracted data independently, calculating relative risks (RR), confidence intervals (CI), and numbers needed to treat/harm (NNT/H).
Main Results:
- Limited data from three small trials (n=250) hindered comprehensive outcome analysis.
- Ayurvedic herbs showed equivocal effects on mental state compared to placebo, with similar early study withdrawal rates.
- Compared to chlorpromazine, Ayurvedic herbs were associated with a higher risk of no mental state improvement and increased nausea/vomiting.
Conclusions:
- Ayurvedic medication may offer some benefits for schizophrenia treatment.
- Current evidence is based on few, small, preliminary trials, necessitating further rigorous research.
- The safety profile, particularly gastrointestinal side effects, requires careful consideration.
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