Rosemary as an adjunctive treatment in patients with major depressive disorder: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Rosemary has shown antidepressant and anxiolytic properties. Thus, the present study aimed at assessing the therapeutic effects of orally administered rosemary capsules in patients with major depressive disorder.Materials and Methods: Rosmarinic acid content of rosemary was determined using high performance liquid chromatography method. Hard gelatin capsules of rosemary were prepared, and their physicochemical properties were assessed. In this clinical trial, patients with major depressive disorder were randomly divided into rosemary and control groups. They received one capsule of rosemary or placebo twice a day for 8 weeks. The anxiety subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Beck Depression Inventory -Second Edition were respectively used to measure the symptoms of anxiety and depression in the patients before initiating the treatment and four and eight weeks after the treatment.Results: The amount of rosmarinic acid in rosemary was found to be 21.13 +/- 0.56 mg/g dried plant. The scores of anxiety subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Beck Depression Inventory significantly decreased in the rosemary group compared to those in the control group 8 weeks after the treatment. Memory improvement was a beneficial side effect observed in the study. Conclusion: The use of rosemary as an adjunctive therapy could improve the symptoms of anxiety and depression in people with major depression.