Panax ginseng may improve some symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
1Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Regional Hospital Bozen, Bolzano, Italy. helmutniederhofer@yahoo.de
Objective:
In this open trial, Panax ginseng, a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, actually used as an antidepressant, has been investigated for its efficacy in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients.
Method:
Three 14-17-year-old male psychiatric outpatients, diagnosed with ADHD disattention type have been rated at baseline and while taking Panax ginseng to determine its efficacy as a treatment for ADHD. Improvement was determined using comparisons of Conners' parent ratings.
Results:
Patients' mean scores improved for Conners' hyperactivity, inattention, and immaturity factors.
Conclusions:
Although the sample size is very small and generalization is very difficult, this observation indicates that Panax ginseng may be a slightly effective treatment for ADHD.
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