Evaluation of safety and side effects in the process of anti-anxiety drug development *

A combination of plant extracts in the treatment of outpatients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood: controlled study versus placebo

Euphytose (EUP) is a combination of six extracts: Crataegus, Ballota, Passiflora and Valeriana, which have mild sedative effects, and Cola and Paullinia, which mainly act as mild stimulants. This multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled general practice study was carried outpatients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood. The study was coordinated by psychiatrists. Ninety-one patients were included in the EUP group and 91 patients in the placebo group. They all received two tablets three times a day over 28 days (D). Evaluation using the Hamilton-anxiety (HAM-A) rating scale were carried out on D0, D7, D14 and on D28. Comparing the two groups, 42.9% of the patients (EUP group) had a HAM-A score of less than 10 at D28 versus 25.3% in the placebo group (P = 0.012). Changes in the HAM-A score between D0 and D28 were as follows: D0 (EUP: 26.12 +/- 4.0, placebo: 26.27 +/- 4.5), D7 (EUP: 19.65 +/- 5.7, placebo: 21.37 +/- 5.6), D14 (EUP: 15.36 +/- 5.7, placebo: 17.48 +/- 6.7), D28 (EUP: 12.63 +/- 7.3, placebo: 15.2 +/- 8.1). From D7 to D28 there was a statistically significant difference (P = 0.042) between the two treatments, indicating that EUP is better than placebo in the treatment of adjustment disorder with anxious mood.

Controlled comparison of the effects and abrupt discontinuation of buspirone and lorazepam

1. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects and abrupt discontinuation of buspirone 15 or 20 mg tid and lorazepam 3 or 4 mg tid following 8 weeks of treatment. A total of 43 outpatients with generalized anxiety disorder were included in the study and 39 entered the withdrawal phase. 2. Clinical assessments were performed at baseline, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks (active phase) and after 9 and 10 weeks (withdrawal phase). These included the Hamilton anxiety scale, the visual analogue scale, the CHESS 84 (a check list for the evaluation of somatic symptoms) and the Lader tranquilizer withdrawal scale (translated in french). 3. Results show similar efficacy for lorazepam and buspirone during the active phase with a higher significant difference for buspirone on the CHESS 84 in relation with neurovegetatives symptoms: lorazepam D0 :16.30 +/- 3.14 D56: 5.10 +/- 0.93 (p < or = 0.01) buspirone D0 :18.82 +/- 3.4 D56: 4.73 +/- 1.18 (p < or = 0.001) No withdrawal phenomena was observed for both drugs using HAM-A lorazepam D63 :12.59 +/- 2.26 D70: 12.0 +/- 1.75 (p = ns) buspirone D63 :10.05 +/- 1.28 D70: 10.32 +/- 1.82 (p = ns) and the same significant difference using Lader scale: lorazepam D63 :4.44 +/- 0.89 D70: 6.96 +/- 1.28 (p < or = 0.05) buspirone D63 :2.95 +/- 0.66 D70: 4.15 +/- 0.92 (p < or = 0.05). 4. This study confirmed that buspirone was as effective as lorazepam at D56 in monitored outpatients with generalized anxiety disorder.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)