Effects of NEURAPAS on depression and stress

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Abstract:

Psychiatric patients often suffer from stress, anxiety and depression. Various plant extracts are known to
fight stress (valerian), anxiety (passion flower) or depression (St. John’s wort). NEURAPAS® balance is a mixture of
these three extracts and has been designed to cover this complex of psychiatric conditions. The study was initiated
to quantitatively assess the effect of this combination on brain electric activity.

Method: Quantitative electroencephalogram (EEG) current source density (CSD) recording from 16 healthy male
and female human volunteers (average age 49 years) was used in a randomized, placebo-controlled cross over
study. Recordings were performed 0. 5, 1. 5, 3 and 4 hours after administration of the preparations under the
conditions of 6 min eyes open and 5 min d2 concentration test, mathematical calculation test and memory test,
respectively. All variables (electric power within 6 frequency ranges at 17 electrode positions) were fed into a linear
discriminant analysis (eyes open condition). In the presence of mental load these variables were used to construct
brain maps of frequency changes.

Results: Under the condition of mental load, centro-parietal spectral power remained statistically significantly lower
within alpha1, alpha2 and beta1 frequencies in the presence of verum in comparison to placebo. Discriminant
analysis revealed a difference to placebo 3 and 4 hours after intake of 6 tablets of NEURAPAS® balance. Data
location within the polydimensional space was projected into the area of the effects of sedative and antidepressive
reference drugs tested earlier under identical conditions. Results appeared closer to the effects of
fluoxetine than to St. John’s wort.

Conclusions: Analysis of the neurophysiological changes following the intake of NEURAPAS® balance revealed a
similarity of frequency changes to those of calming and anti-depressive drugs on the EEG without impairment of
cognition.