A study published in the journal Pharmacopsychiatry suggests that saffron may be an effective alternative for improving the symptoms of postpartum depression. The study’s findings also reported that it may be as effective as, but far safer, than fluoxetine, an antidepressant drug.

• Researchers from Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Kashan University of Medical Sciences in Iran compared the safety and efficacy of saffron and fluoxetine in treating mild to moderate postpartum depression in a double-blind clinical trial.
• The study included 68 new mothers aged 18 to 45 years old who suffer from mild-to-moderate postpartum depression.
• For the study, the researchers gave the new mothers either 15 milligrams (mg) of saffron stigma extract twice a day or 20 mg of fluoxetine twice per day.
• The treatment period lasted for six weeks.
• The researchers then assessed the depressive symptoms of the participants.
• The results showed that both saffron extract and fluoxetine caused similar improvements in the depressive symptoms.
• However, those who took fluoxetine experienced a higher frequency of side effects, such as headaches, dry mouth, daytime drowsiness, constipation, and sweating than those who took saffron extract.

In conclusion, these findings suggest that saffron can be used as a safer alternative treatment for improving the symptoms of postpartum depression.

To read more studies on natural medicines for improving the symptoms of depression, visit DepressionSymptoms.news.

Journal Reference:

Kashani L, Eslatmanesh S, Saedi N, Niroomand N, Ebrahimi M, Hosseinian M, Foroughifar T, Salimi S, Akhondzadeh S. COMPARISON OF SAFFRON VERSUS FLUOXETINE IN TREATMENT OF MILD TO MODERATE POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION: A DOUBLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL. Pharmacopsychiatry. March 2017; 50(2): 64-68. DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-115306