Adjuvancy strategies of medicines are commonly classified into ‘‘augmentation” and ‘‘combination” approaches introduction :

can be initiated either at the start of the prescription, or later if there is insufficient response to initial treatment Adjuvancy:

1 1-response time 2 2-response rate remission rate 4-reduction of side effects 5-remission of physiological or psychological symptoms 6 6-subjective changes in quality of life Outcomes adjuvancy studies

MDD anxious depression psychotic disorders bipolar depression Polypharmacy combinations commonly include: multiple antidepressants in MDD antidepressants with benzodiazepines in anxious depression combinations of atypical antipsychotics in psychotic disorders mood stabilizers with antidepressants in bipolar depression

open or controlled clinical trials: adjuvant applications of nutritional and herbal medicines with antipsychotics for: amelioration of side-effects and increased efficacy

beneficial effects in attenuating either extra-pyramidal side-effects or positive schizophrenic symptoms: Traditional Chinese medicine formulas and Ginkgo biloba

omega-3 fatty acids vitamin E vitamin B6 Mixed results with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E A review concluded that while vitamin E may not effectively treat tardive dyskinesia, it may have a role in its prevention. Controlled studies using vitamin B6 have demonstrated beneficial effects on the reduction of extra-pyramidal symptoms

to provide A secondary Our intention is to provide a comprehensive review of the literature focusing on the current evidence of adjuvant use of herbal and nutritional medicines with commonly used pharmacotherapies for mood and anxiety disorders A secondary aim is to provide a perspective on future research and integrative clinical applications of natural and synthetic medicines.

Results papers were identified from our search criteria and 35 clinical trials were judged to be relevant to the review Antidepressants Mood Stabilizers BenzodiazepinesThese studies are reviewed under nutritional and herbal medicine with Antidepressants, Mood Stabilizers and Benzodiazepines

Bipolar disorder Adjuvant use of pharmacotherapies for bipolar disorder Mood stabilizers Mood stabilizers including lithium and valproic acid and antipsychotics are commonly used as first-line agents to treat the presentation of the manic phase in Bipolar I Disorder

Folic acid: lithium An RCT using folic acid (200 microgram) with lithium demonstrated minor benefit in reducing depression on BDI higher dose Further studies using a higher dose of folic acid may be of benefit

Traditional Chinese medicine formula: (Free and Easy Wanderer Plus Traditional Chinese medicine formula: Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San (Free and Easy Wanderer Plus) in combination with carbamazepine increased response and efficacy on depression outcomes A statistically significant reduction in fatigue and dizziness also occurred

Anxiety disorders Adjuvant use of pharmacotherapies for anxiety Adjuvancy strategies to treat anxiety disorders are commonly focused on integrating psychological interventions or benzodiazepines with antidepressants

BDZs dependence tolerance Although BDZs are effective anxiolytics, concerns over dependence and tolerance caution their long-term use nutritional or herbal medicines with BDZs withdrawal dose reduction BDZs cessation nutritional or herbal medicines with BDZs may also focus on their reduction or withdrawal, so they are given during dose reduction, or as a substitute at BDZs cessation

Adjuvant use of nutritional and herbal medicines with benzodiazepines Piper methysticum One study using kava (Piper methysticum) in benzodiazepine withdrawal was identified in the search drop of 7.5 point Hamilton Kava produced a statistically significant drop of 7.5 point decrease over placebo at week 5 in anxiety on the Hamilton anxiety scale

There are several potential advantages of SJW adjuvancy. There are several potential advantages of SJW adjuvancy. 1-decreased degradation 3-modulation of neurotransmitter transport systems 2-non selective re-uptake of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine

depressive phase In respect to the treatment of BD, these interventions appear only to benefit the depressive phase of the disorder

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