Saffron could help treat ADHD, new study finds
| Feb 24, 2019, 12:07 IST
A new study has found saffron may have medicinal properties that could help treat children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
ADHD, one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders in children, cause issues like low self-esteem, weak social skills and poor academic achievement.
Researchers from Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, which is affiliated with the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, carried out the study between January 2018 and October 2018. For close to six weeks, the team studied the effects of saffron derived from the Crocus sativus flower on 54 ADHD patients between the ages of six and 17. The results were also compared to methylphenidate, a drug that is commonly prescribed for treating the condition.
Some patients do not respond well to stimulants like methylphenidate or cannot tolerate it. Nausea, stomach ache, decreased appetite, insomnia and headache are some of the side effects caused by methylphenidate. However, saffron can prove to be a beneficial alternative.
Further research is needed to more clearly understand how saffron can be used as a treatment option. The study was originally published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology.
ADHD, one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders in children, cause issues like low self-esteem, weak social skills and poor academic achievement.
Researchers from Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, which is affiliated with the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, carried out the study between January 2018 and October 2018. For close to six weeks, the team studied the effects of saffron derived from the Crocus sativus flower on 54 ADHD patients between the ages of six and 17. The results were also compared to methylphenidate, a drug that is commonly prescribed for treating the condition.
Some patients do not respond well to stimulants like methylphenidate or cannot tolerate it. Nausea, stomach ache, decreased appetite, insomnia and headache are some of the side effects caused by methylphenidate. However, saffron can prove to be a beneficial alternative.
Further research is needed to more clearly understand how saffron can be used as a treatment option. The study was originally published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology.