The effect of chamomile tea on anxiety and depression of postmenopausal women

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Student of Midwifery, Reproductive Health Promotion Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics, Medical Plant Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

4 Associate Professor, Department of Midwifery, Reproductive Health Promotion Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Menopause is one of the most critical phases of women's life. Some women suffer from psychological problems such as anxiety and depression during this period due to the lack of estrogen. The present study was performed with aim to determine the effect of chamomile tea on anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women.
Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was performed on 68 postmenopausal women in the form of 2 groups: chamomile tea (intervention group) and control group in Ahvaz city in 2020. Data collection tool included demographic information questionnaire and depression, anxiety and stress scale DASS form with 21 questions. Chamomile tea was consumed in the intervention group and placebo in the control group 3 times a day for 8 weeks. Before the intervention, 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention, the level of anxiety and depression was measured in the two groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software (version 24) and independent t-tests, repeated measures and chi-square tests. P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The results of the independent t-test showed that before the intervention, the mean anxiety score in the experimental group was 24.47±1.92 and in the control group 20.70±1.46, as well as the mean depression score in the experimental group was 24.29±1.69 and in the control group 19.23±1.28, there was no statistically significant difference in the two groups (P<0.05). The results of the paired t-test indicated that the mean score of anxiety in the experimental group 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention was 10.50±2.36 and 10.82±1.69, respectively and depression was 10.82±2.27 and 10.76±1.34, respectively, which showed a significant decrease compared to the control group that the mean score of anxiety was 21.85±1.37 and 21.73±1.52 and the depression score was 21.94±0.98 and 20.67±1.09, respectively (p>0.001).
Conclusion: Chamomile tea in postmenopausal women improves symptoms of depression and anxiety. In addition to being economical, the use of chamomile tea has fewer side effects compared to chemical treatments.

Keywords

References

  1. Manson JE, Kaunitz AM. Menopause management—getting clinical care back on track. N Engl J Med 2016; 374(9):803-6.
  2. Refaei M, Kazemi F, Bakht R, Mardanpour S, Hoseini M. The effect of group counseling on the severity of menopausal symptoms in perimenopausal period: A clinical trial. Journal of Hayat 2020; 26(4):371-83.
  3. Shakiba M, Rouhbakhsh M, Kermansaravi F, Navidian A. The effect of couple counseling on severity of menopausal symptoms in women. Journal of Hayat 2019; 25(1):25-38.
  4. Peyman N, khandehroo M. Explaining women's attitude of menopause. Journal of North Khorasan University of Medical sciences 2017; 8(4):559-68.
  5. Abedi P, Nikkhah P, Najar S. Effect of pedometer-based walking on depression, anxiety and insomnia among postmenopausal women. Climacteric 2015; 18(6):841-5.
  6. Golzareh P, Rahimi R, Rahimikian F, Bekhradi R, Mehran A. The effect of fennel oral capsules on physical symptoms caused by menopause in women. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil 2017; 20(9):41-8.
  7. Mohamadzade N, Jahanian Sadatmahalleh S, Ziaei S, Zaeemzadeh N, Kazemnejad A. Predictors of Menopausal Symptoms in Postmenopausal Women. Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences 2019; 29(171):99-105.
  8. Kazemian A, Parvin N, Raeisi Dehkordi Z, Rafieian-Kopaei M. The effect of valerian on the anxiety and depression symptoms of the menopause in women referred to shahrekord medical centers. Journal of Medicinal Plants 2017; 16:96-101.
  9. Charmchi N, Asgari P, Hafezi F, Makvandi B, BakhtiarPour S. The effect of “cognitive behavior therapy” in method group on anxiety and psychological resilience of menopausal women. Journal of Health Promotion Management 2016; 5(5):15-22.
  10. Salas-Wright CP, Kagotho N, Vaughn MG. Mood, anxiety, and personality disorders among first and second-generation immigrants to the United States. Psychiatry research 2014; 220(3):1028-36.
  11. Park H, Kim K. Depression and its association with health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women in Korea. International journal of environmental research and public health 2018; 15(11):2327.
  12. Alirezaei S, Rajabzadeh S. The relationship between sexual function with depression and anxiety in postmenopausal women referred to health centers of Torbat Heydariyeh in 1395. Navid No 2018; 21(66):32-40.
  13. Eisanezhad Boshehri S, Dasht Bozorgi Z. Effectiveness of behavioral activation treatment in reduction of anxiety and depression of premenopausal women. The Neuroscience Journal of Shefaye Khatam 2018; 6(1):19-26.
  14. Kennedy SH, Dickens SE, Eisfeld BS, Bagby RM. Sexual dysfunction before antidepressant therapy in major depression. Journal of affective disorders 1999; 56(2-3):201-8.
  15. Bahri N, Pourali L, Esmaeeli H. Application of various menopausal symptoms treatment options and its related factors, Gonabad-2016. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil 2016;19(26):1-8.
  16. Saghafi N, Mahmoodinya M, Ayati S, Behdani F, Shakeri MT, Rakhshandeh A. Comparison of effects of black cohosh and fluoxetine in treatment of menopausal symptoms. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil 2012; 15(32):1-7.
  17. Hosseini SH, Rajabzadeh R, Nosrati H, Naseri F, Toroski M, Mohaddes Hakkak H, et al. Prevalence of medicinal herbs consumption in pregnant women referring to Bojnurd health care centers. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil 2017; 20(9):33-40.
  18. Rahimi M, Sanagoo A, Fatah ZA, Bahnampour N, Jouybari L. Effect of Chamomile tea on the severity of dyspnea and anxiety in patients with chronic heart failure: a clinical trial study. Journal of Gorgan University of Medical Sciences 2018; 20(1):9-15.
  19. Rahnavardi M, Heydarifard S, Mohammadi M. The Effect of Chamomile Odor on Anxiety and Some Consequences of Delivery in Primiparous Women. Journal of Health and Care 2018; 20(3):235-43.
  20. Miraj S, Alesaeidi S. A systematic review study of therapeutic effects of Matricaria recuitta chamomile (chamomile). Electronic physician 2016; 8(9):3024.
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. Kermanian S, Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Reza JZ, Dastgerdi G. A Comparison of the Effect of Chamomile Tea and Black Tea Consumption on Depression and Oxidative Stress Markers in Depressed Patients with Type II Diabetes: a Randomized Clinical Trial. Tolooebehdasht Journal 2018; 17(4):13-29.
  24. Lovibond PF, Lovibond SH. The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour research and therapy 1995; 33(3):335-43.
  25. Sahebi A, Asghari MJ, Salari RS. Validation of depression anxiety and stress scale (DASS-21) for an Iranian population. Journal of Iranian Psychologists 2005; 1(4):36-54.
  26. 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.
  27. Viola H, Wasowski C, De Stein ML, Wolfman C, Silveira R, Dajas F, et al. Apigenin, a component of Matricaria recutita flowers, is a central benzodiazepine receptors-ligand with anxiolytic effects. Planta medica 1995; 61(03):213-6.
  28. 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):378-82.
  29. Tabaraei Y, Khalili H. The effect of inhalation of Matricaria chamomile essential oil on patients’ anxiety before esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Govaresh 2018; 22(4):232-8.
  30. Mao JJ, Xie SX, Keefe JR, Soeller I, Li QS, Amsterdam JD. Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine 2016; 23(14):1735-42.
  31. Hieu TH, Dibas M, Surya Dila KA, Sherif NA, Hashmi MU, Mahmoud M, et al. Therapeutic efficacy and safety of chamomile for state anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and sleep quality: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized trials and quasi‐randomized trials. Phytotherapy Research 2019; 33(6):1604-15.
  32. Keefe JR, Mao JJ, Soeller I, Li QS, Amsterdam JD. Short-term open-label chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) therapy of moderate to severe generalized anxiety disorder. Phytomedicine 2016; 23(14):1699-705.
  33. Zanoli P, Avallone R, Baraldi M. Behavioral characterisation of the flavonoids apigenin and chrysin. Fitoterapia 2000; 71:S117-23.
  34. Avallone R, Zanoli P, Puia G, Kleinschnitz M, Schreier P, Baraldi M. Pharmacological profile of apigenin, a flavonoid isolated from Matricaria chamomilla. Biochemical pharmacology 2000; 59(11):1387-94.
  35. Kanazawa I. Short review on monoamine oxidase and its inhibitors. European neurology 1994; 34(Suppl. 3):36-9.
  36. Yi LT, Li JM, Li YC, Pan Y, Xu Q, Kong LD. Antidepressant-like behavioral and neurochemical effects of the citrus-associated chemical apigenin. Life sciences 2008; 82(13-14):741-51.
  37. Amsterdam JD, Shults J, Soeller I, Mao JJ, Rockwell K, Newberg AB. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) may have antidepressant activity in anxious depressed humans-an exploratory study. Alternative therapies in health and medicine 2012; 18(5):44.
The Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility
Volume 25, Issue 12
February 2023
Pages 73-84

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics