Draper, Gemma (2023) The Effectiveness of Caralluma Fimbriata Extract as a Treatment for Subthreshold Anxiety and its Effect on Serotonin. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Anxiety, even at a subthreshold level, is prevalent, debilitating, and contributes to economic and disease burdens. This study investigated the efficacy of Caralluma fimbriata extract (CFE) for the treatment of subthreshold anxiety in healthy adults. The only previous human study to date found CFE to be superior to a placebo in healthy adults with subthreshold anxiety and stress at a dose of 500 mg b.d. In this eight-week clinical trial, 110 otherwise healthy adult participants who self-reported mild to moderate anxiety were given 250 mg b.d. CFE (n = 55), or 250 mg b.d. placebo (n = 55). Anxiety was measured at baseline, four weeks and eight weeks using the DASS-21 anxiety subscale (DASS-A). It was hypothesised that anxiety would be significantly lower in the active treatment group compared to the placebo group at 4 weeks and 8 weeks. Blood serotonin levels were also measured, and it was hypothesised that serotonin levels would be significantly higher in the active treatment group at 4 weeks and 8 weeks compared to the placebo group. And finally, it was hypothesised that there would be an inverse correlation between changes in anxiety and changes in serotonin levels. Results indicated no significant reduction in anxiety in the active treatment group compared to the placebo group at either week 4 or week 8. Results indicated no significant change in serotonin levels in either group at any time point. And results of a correlation analysis indicated there was no significant relationship between anxiety and serotonin. Conclusion: CFE is not effective in reducing anxiety at a dose on 250 mg b.d. CFE does not affect serotonin levels at a dose on 250 mg b.d.. Serotonin is complexly involved in many processes in the human body and does not serve as a reliable biomarker for anxiety.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Wellbeing (1 Jan 2022 -) |
| Supervisors: | Gavin Beccaria |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 19 May 2025 02:27 |
| Last Modified: | 19 May 2025 02:27 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | anxiety, serotonin, Caralluma, fimbriata, pregnane glycosides, complementary therapy, HPA axis |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52285 |
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