The Effect of Valerian on the Anxiety and Depression Symptoms of the Menopause in Women Referred to Shahrekord Medical Centers

Anxiety and depression as the most common psychological disorders are associated with gynecologic problems. Women, especially in this age usually increasingly tend to be treated with some herbal compounds and nutritional supplements.
The present study aims to determine the effect of Valerian on anxiety and depressive symptoms in menopausal women referred to Shahrekord medical centers.
This double-blind clinical trial study was carried out on women referred to Shahrekord medical center. In present study, 48 eligible women aged 45 to 62 years have been divided randomly into two groups (29 in Valerian and 19 in placebo). The information was completed via demographic questionnaire, Hamilton anxiety rating scale, and Beck depression inventory before and 2 months after treatment. The data were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney Tests and Wilcoxon tests using SPSS 11.5 software.
According to the findings of the present study, both groups were match regarding to depression and anxiety levels at the first stages of the study (P> 0.05). After the intervention, anxiety level and depressive symptoms were decreased significantly in valerian group (P=0.001).
The results have shown that Valerian is effective in the treatment of anxiety and depression in menopausal women and could be considered as an alternative treatment.