Chamomile Therapy for Generalized Anxiety

This study will determine the effectiveness of chamomile extract for treating generalized anxiety disorder.

Study hypotheses: 1)Chamomile extract will have a superior anti-anxiety effect compared to placebo. 2)Chamomile will have a comparable safety profile to that of placebo.

We propose to investigate the anti-anxiety activity of Chamomile. Among the many uses of Chamomile, its use as an anti-anxiety herb is universal. Despite its widespread use and acceptance, there have been no studies evaluating the safety and anti-anxiety efficacy of Chamomile in human subjects. Given this lack of controlled clinical data, we propose a pilot study of Chamomile safety and efficacy in mild anxiety, and propose using the data as a basis for statistically powering a future R01 application. We will ask: Is Chamomile a safe and effective alternative treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)? To do this, 60 patients with a diagnosis of mild to moderate GAD will receive double-blind treatment for 8 weeks with either (i) Chamomile extract, or (ii) placebo. We hypothesize that Chamomile will have a superior anti-anxiety efficacy compared to placebo, and a comparable safety profile to placebo.

• Dietary Supplement: Chamomile Extract
  220 mg - 1100 mg daily
• Other: Placebo
  1 to 5 capsules daily

• Experimental: 1
  Chamomile Extract
  Intervention: Dietary Supplement: Chamomile Extract
• Placebo Comparator: 2
  Anxiolytic Therapy
  Intervention: Other: Placebo

Inclusion Criteria:

Men and women > 18 years of age (all races and ethnicity)

Meet DSM IV criteria for GAD

Mild to moderate symptom severity

HAM-A score > 8

Not receiving anti-anxiety medication (e.g., benzodiazepine, venlafaxine, buspirone, or SSRI)

Able to understand and provide signed informed consent

Able to participate in a 8-week study

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients < 18 years old

Current DSM IV Axis I diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Panic Disorder (with or without agoraphobia), Specific Phobia Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder, Schizophrenia, Other psychotic disorders, Current alcohol or drug abuse, Alcohol or drug dependence within 3 months, [NB: Patients with co-morbid DSM IV Axis I Depressive Disorders NOS (e.g., minor depressive disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and recurrent brief depressive disorder will not be excluded)]

Unstable medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism, hypertension, myocardial infarction within 1 month, neoplastic condition)

Allergy to Chamomile preparation

Allergy to plants of the asteraceae family (e.g., ragweed, asters, chrysanthemum)

Allergy to mugwort, RAST, or birch tree pollen

Concurrent tranquilizer, antidepressant or mood stabilizer therapy

Concurrent use of over-the-counter anti-anxiety and/or antidepressant preparations (e.g., Chamomile, St. John's Wort, Kava kava)

Women of child-bearing potential not willing to employ a medically proven form of contraception (e.g., condoms, oral contraceptives, etc)

• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
• Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)