effects of passion flower extract, as an add-on treatment to sertraline, on reaction time in patients ‎with generalized anxiety disorder: a double-blind placebo-controlled study

objective: because of functional impairment caused by generalized anxiety disorder and due to cognitive side ‎effects of many anti-anxiety agents, in this study we aimed to evaluate the influence of passion ‎flower standardized extract on reaction time in patients with generalized anxiety disorder.‎ method: thirty patients aged 18 to 50 years of age, who were diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and ‎fulfilled the study criteria, entered this double-blind placebo-controlled study. reaction time was ‎measured at baseline and after one month of treatment using computerized software. correct ‎responses, omission and substitution errors and the mean time of correct responses (reaction time) in ‎both visual and auditory tests were collected. the analysis was performed between the two groups ‎and within each group utilizing spss pasw- statics, version 18. p-value less than 0.05 was ‎considered statistically significant.‎ results: all the participants were initiated on sertraline 50 mg/day, and the dosage was increased to 100 ‎mg / day after two weeks. fourteen patients received pasipy (passion flower) 15 drops three times ‎daily and 16 received placebo concurrently. inter-group comparison proved no significant difference ‎in any of the test items between assortments while a significant decline was observed in auditory ‎omission errors in passion flower group after on month of treatment using intra-group analysis.‎‎ conclusion: this study noted that passion flower might be suitable as an add-on in the treatment of generalized ‎anxiety disorder with low side effects. further studies with longer duration are recommended to ‎confirm the results of this study.‎