Efficacy of ginkgo biloba extract as augmentation of venlafaxine in treating post-stroke depression

Abstract

Background

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most common psychiatric diseases afflicting stroke survivors. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of ginkgo biloba extract as augmentation of venlafaxine in treating PSD.

Methods

The included PSD patients were randomly assigned into the experiment group (receiving ginkgo biloba extract plus venlafaxine) and control group (receiving venlafaxine alone). The treatment was continued for eight weeks. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to assess the depressive symptoms. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to assess the neurological defect, and the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) was used to assess recovery of abilities of patients after stroke. Meanwhile, the levels of serum 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were measured before and after treatment. The dose of venlafaxine used and adverse events were also recorded.

Results

Each group had 40 PSD patients. After treatment, the depressive symptoms, neurological defect and living function were significantly improved in both groups. But the patients receiving ginkgo biloba extract plus venlafaxine had the significantly lower average HDRS score (p=0.0008), SDS score (p<0.00001), NIHSS score (p=0.00001), and higher average ADL score (p=0.0005). Meanwhile, compared to the control group, patients in the experiment group had the significantly higher 5-HT (p<0.00001) level and BDNF level (p<0.00001), needed lower dose of venlafaxine (p=0.007), and experienced fewer adverse events.

Conclusion

These results demonstrated that the ginkgo biloba extract was a good augmentation of venlafaxine in treating PSD and should be further investigated.

Keywords:

• ginkgo biloba extract
• venlafaxine
• post-stroke depression
• PSD

Acknowledgment

This project is funded by the Health Family Planning Research Program of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Grant No. 201703005), the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China (Grant No. 2016MS0884), and the Foundation Project of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People’s Hospital (Grant No. 201551).

Disclosure

The authors declare no financial or other conflicts of interest in this work.