An epidemiological study on herbal product self-medication practice among psychotic outpatients from Serbia: A cross-sectional study

Utilization of herbal products (HPs) is a common practice in the traditional medicine of people from southeastern Serbia. In this study, we focused on the usage of HPs as a self-medication practice among patients diagnosed with a mental illness, by aiming to ascertain the usage prevalence, the ident...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gordana Nikolić, Nikola M. Stojanović, Pavle J. Randjelović, Snežana Manojlović, Niko S. Radulović
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2018-03-01
Series:Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319016418300094
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849306310393200640
author Gordana Nikolić
Nikola M. Stojanović
Pavle J. Randjelović
Snežana Manojlović
Niko S. Radulović
author_facet Gordana Nikolić
Nikola M. Stojanović
Pavle J. Randjelović
Snežana Manojlović
Niko S. Radulović
author_sort Gordana Nikolić
collection DOAJ
description Utilization of herbal products (HPs) is a common practice in the traditional medicine of people from southeastern Serbia. In this study, we focused on the usage of HPs as a self-medication practice among patients diagnosed with a mental illness, by aiming to ascertain the usage prevalence, the identity of the main plant taxa utilized, their formulations and target symptoms. This was accomplished through a cross-sectional study of psychiatric outpatients, conducted in the Clinic for Mental Health Protection in Niš, and which included a questionnaire on HP utilization and a non-structured psychiatric interview. Typically, single, middle-aged males, with a secondary education degree, utilized Matricaria chamomilla and/or Melissa officinalis in a form of an infusion (tea) for relieving anxiety and psychotic symptoms. In some cases, adverse effects were noted when HPs were used in combination with prescribed psychotropic medications. Our and previous results urge a thorough evaluation of possible benefits and/or harmful interactions of HP with standard medication in the treatment of psychiatric patients.
format Article
id doaj-art-2e415a0f58d84c2db0de4f20f93cd042
institution Kabale University
issn 1319-0164
language English
publishDate 2018-03-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal
spelling doaj-art-2e415a0f58d84c2db0de4f20f93cd0422025-08-20T03:55:07ZengSpringerSaudi Pharmaceutical Journal1319-01642018-03-0126333534110.1016/j.jsps.2018.01.009An epidemiological study on herbal product self-medication practice among psychotic outpatients from Serbia: A cross-sectional studyGordana Nikolić0Nikola M. Stojanović1Pavle J. Randjelović2Snežana Manojlović3Niko S. Radulović4Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000 Niš, Serbia; Clinic for Mental Health, Clinical Center Niš, 18000 Niš, SerbiaFaculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000 Niš, Serbia; Corresponding author.Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000 Niš, SerbiaClinic for Psychiatry ‘‘Gornja Toponica’’, Clinical Center Niš, 18000 Niš, SerbiaDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, SerbiaUtilization of herbal products (HPs) is a common practice in the traditional medicine of people from southeastern Serbia. In this study, we focused on the usage of HPs as a self-medication practice among patients diagnosed with a mental illness, by aiming to ascertain the usage prevalence, the identity of the main plant taxa utilized, their formulations and target symptoms. This was accomplished through a cross-sectional study of psychiatric outpatients, conducted in the Clinic for Mental Health Protection in Niš, and which included a questionnaire on HP utilization and a non-structured psychiatric interview. Typically, single, middle-aged males, with a secondary education degree, utilized Matricaria chamomilla and/or Melissa officinalis in a form of an infusion (tea) for relieving anxiety and psychotic symptoms. In some cases, adverse effects were noted when HPs were used in combination with prescribed psychotropic medications. Our and previous results urge a thorough evaluation of possible benefits and/or harmful interactions of HP with standard medication in the treatment of psychiatric patients.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319016418300094PsychosisPsychotic symptomsPlant-derived therapeuticsEthno-medicinesSide effects
spellingShingle Gordana Nikolić
Nikola M. Stojanović
Pavle J. Randjelović
Snežana Manojlović
Niko S. Radulović
An epidemiological study on herbal product self-medication practice among psychotic outpatients from Serbia: A cross-sectional study
Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal
Psychosis
Psychotic symptoms
Plant-derived therapeutics
Ethno-medicines
Side effects
title An epidemiological study on herbal product self-medication practice among psychotic outpatients from Serbia: A cross-sectional study
title_full An epidemiological study on herbal product self-medication practice among psychotic outpatients from Serbia: A cross-sectional study
title_fullStr An epidemiological study on herbal product self-medication practice among psychotic outpatients from Serbia: A cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed An epidemiological study on herbal product self-medication practice among psychotic outpatients from Serbia: A cross-sectional study
title_short An epidemiological study on herbal product self-medication practice among psychotic outpatients from Serbia: A cross-sectional study
title_sort epidemiological study on herbal product self medication practice among psychotic outpatients from serbia a cross sectional study
topic Psychosis
Psychotic symptoms
Plant-derived therapeutics
Ethno-medicines
Side effects
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319016418300094
work_keys_str_mv AT gordananikolic anepidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy
AT nikolamstojanovic anepidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy
AT pavlejrandjelovic anepidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy
AT snezanamanojlovic anepidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy
AT nikosradulovic anepidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy
AT gordananikolic epidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy
AT nikolamstojanovic epidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy
AT pavlejrandjelovic epidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy
AT snezanamanojlovic epidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy
AT nikosradulovic epidemiologicalstudyonherbalproductselfmedicationpracticeamongpsychoticoutpatientsfromserbiaacrosssectionalstudy