Title: Effectivity of Saffron Extract (Saffr’Activ) on Treatment for Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Clinical Effectivity Study
Author: BellaFernándezBlascoFontecillaMartinMoratinosMéndezGonzálezMoyanoRamírezRodrigoYanguas
Publication: National Library of Medicine
Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9573091/?utm_source=pocket_saves
Key Takeaways:
– ADHD is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that can be treated with multimodal therapy, including medication.
– Saffron, a spice with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has been shown to improve ADHD symptoms in three clinical trials.
– One study found no significant difference between saffron and methylphenidate (a common ADHD medication), while another found that the combination of the two was more effective than methylphenidate alone.
– None of the trials used objective measures for ADHD symptoms or executive functions, and there is no previous literature specifically testing the potential use of saffron in the treatment of executive dysfunction.
– A non-randomized study comparing saffron and methylphenidate for treating ADHD symptoms and executive functions was conducted in Spain, with the hypothesis that saffron is equally effective as methylphenidate in treating ADHD symptoms.- A study compared the effects of saffron and methylphenidate on ADHD symptoms and executive functioning.
– Participants were divided into two groups and could choose their treatment group, with each treatment lasting 3 months.
– Group 1 received psychoeducation and extended-release methylphenidate, while Group 2 received psychoeducation and saffron.
– Measurements were taken at the beginning and end of the treatment duration using various scales and tests.
– Both saffron and methylphenidate improved ADHD symptoms, with some cases showing larger effects for one treatment over the other.
– The saffron group showed slightly better improvement in the CPT-3 Block Chan test.
– Studies have found that saffron and Methylphenidate have similar effects in treating ADHD symptoms in children.
– Combining saffron with Methylphenidate may improve ADHD symptoms in children more than Methylphenidate alone.
– Saffron has been found to improve time to fall asleep in ADHD patients, while Methylphenidate did not show this improvement.
– Both saffron and Methylphenidate were found to be effective and well-tolerated treatments for ADHD symptoms in children, with comparable improvements in both subjective and objective measures.
– Saffron was found to be more effective for hyperactivity, while Methylphenidate was more effective for inattention.
– Saffron was also found to improve executive functions in ADHD patients, which may contribute to its effectiveness in treating ADHD symptoms.
– Limitations of the studies include the use of pen-and-paper tests and the lack of objective measures in some studies.
– Saffron has been shown to improve sleep quality and time to fall asleep in ADHD patients.
– Combining saffron and methylphenidate can improve sleeping time similarly in ADHD patients.
– Saffron’s properties may explain the combined improvement in core ADHD symptoms, executive functions, and sleep quality.
– The study comparing saffron and methylphenidate showed that saffron improved most in Block Change measures related to sustained attention, while methylphenidate improved most in Commissions related to impulsivity.
– The study’s results need to be interpreted with consideration of several limitations, including the small sample size and lack of randomization.
– Both saffron and methylphenidate improved ADHD core symptoms and executive functions, and both treatments improved the number of sleeping hours.
– Saffron is more effective for hyperactivity symptoms, while methylphenidate is more effective for inattention symptoms.
– The BRIEF-2 measures eight domains of executive function and can be used to assess sleep problems.