Comparison of the Anxiolytic Effects of Saffron (<i>Crocus sativus</i>. L) and Diazepam Before Herniorrhaphy Surgery: A Double Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Anxiety is an unpleasant state of feeling agitation and pressure induced by the patient’s fear of hospitalization, anesthesia or surgery. Objectives: The present study is aimed to compare the effects of dried extract of saffron and diazepam on soothing the pre-herniorrhaphy surgery anxiety. Patients and Methods: In this double blind clinical study, during 8 months, 102 patients were studied in 2012. all the patients in intervention group (n = 50) received 25 mg dried extract of saffron and participants in control group (n = 52) received 5 mg oral diazepam. Level of anxiety of the patients was measured using speillberger state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) before intervention and 3 hours after administration (immediately after entering the surgery room) filled out by the patients. The patients in the two groups were compared concerning level of anxiety before/after intervention. The two groups of participants had almost equal demographic features. Results: According to the results, level of trait anxiety in the intervention groups decreased from 37.24 ± 7.4 to 34.72 ± 7.45 and the trend among the control group was vice versa and increased from 34.51 ± 10.74 to 38.8 ± 9.97. The data showed significant relation between level of trait anxiety before and after intervention in control and experiment groups (P = 0.019). Conclusions: Considering the findings, in comparison to diazepam, dried extract of saffron at 25 mg dose is more effective on soothing anxiety.