The efficacy and acceptability of curcumin for the treatment of depression or depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Wang Z, et al
Published in Journal of Affective Disorders
Methodology
Systematic review and meta-analysis of PubMed, EMBASE, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to 4 March 2020; outcomes were depressive symptoms, response rates, drop-out rates and adverse effects, with Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment and subgroup analysis by diagnosis.
Key Findings
Ten randomised trials with 594 patients were pooled to test curcumin for depression. Curcumin reduced depressive symptoms modestly (SMD -0.32, 95% CI -0.50 to -0.13, I-squared 15%) and improved response rates (OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.28 to 7.99, n = 271), with no difference in drop-outs (OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.58 to 1.93), digestive side effects (OR 1.27) or neurological side effects (OR 1.08). In subgroups the benefit held for diagnosed depression (SMD -0.35, 95% CI -0.56 to -0.15) but not for depressive symptoms in non-diagnosed groups (SMD -0.17, 95% CI -0.61 to 0.26). The authors rate the evidence quality as low, leaving great uncertainty about both efficacy and acceptability.
Conclusions
The evidence quality is low, indicating that there is great uncertainty about the efficacy and acceptability of curcumin for the treatment of depression or depressive symptoms.
Limitations
Three of the ten trials were at high risk of bias and four unclear, total numbers are modest, and the authors themselves graded the overall evidence as low quality; benefit disappeared in people with depressive symptoms who did not have a diagnosis.
Supplements Studied
The evidence quality is low, indicating that there is great uncertainty about the efficacy and acceptability of curcumin for the treatment of depression or depressive symptoms.
Related Health Concerns
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