Unique combination of herbal ingredients for everyday distress in medical workers (short-term pilot study)

Abstract

Introduction Psychological distress is a phenomenon that often occurs not only in patients but in normal subjects under excessive psychological pressure. Health care workers are at particular risk of distress in a pandemic. It negatively affects the quality of life, social and physical functioning and can be a trigger of different diseases. The pharmaceutical drugs can be unnecessary active for healthy subjects. Nutraceuticals may be the adequate choice in this situation. Objectives Assessing the effectiveness of the unique antistress combination of the three herbal ingredients (standardized extracts of passionfruit, melissa and catnip) in medical workers with the signs of psychological distress Methods Twenty-four subjects-medical doctors from 30 to 55 years old (15 women; 9 men) were included into the one-week study. Antistress combination was administered 1 tablet tid. The first part of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI “State anxiety”) andor a free self-report were done twice (before and at the end of the study) Results From 24 subjects 19 subjects filled out the STAI, free self-reports were received from 10 subjects (5 people provided information about their condition in two forms). STAI scores showed statistically significant decrease in anxiety at the end of the study. A positive effect the emotional condition and quality of sleep was noted in free self-reports. Adverse effects of nutraceuticals were rare, mild, and transient. No negative impact on quality of working condition was registered. Conclusions The pilot study showed the promising effect of antistress combination in medical workers in specific stressful situation. Disclosure No significant relationships.

Keywords

• medical workers
• herbal ingredients
• Distress