Asian ginseng may provide benefits for people with schizophrenia, scientists have found.
Schizophrenia is the most common major psychiatric disorder, affecting around three in every 1,000 people in the UK.
Researchers at the University of Western Ontario trialled ginseng in 42 patients with schizophrenia who were exhibiting symptoms despite treatment with antipsychotic drugs.
They found that patients who took 200mg doses of ginseng for eight weeks displayed more motivation and were 50 per cent less likely to have 'flat affect' - a severe reduction in emotional expression commonly experienced by schizophrenics.
Dr Simon Chiu, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Western Ontario, told WebMD: "It's too soon to tell people to take ginseng for schizophrenia. But it shows promise as an adjunct to their other antipsychotic medications."
The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.
Asian ginseng may provide benefits for people with schizophrenia, scientists have found.
