Research · Randomized controlled trial
Rhodiola rosea versus sertraline for major depressive disorder: a randomized placebo-controlled trial
What it found
Rhodiola reduced depression scores between sertraline and placebo but with no statistically significant separation from placebo; it caused far fewer adverse effects than sertraline (30% vs 63%).
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Year
- 2015
- Sample size
- 57
- Population
- adults with mild-to-moderate major depressive disorder
- Intervention
- Rhodiola extract (SHR-5) 340 mg/day vs sertraline 50 mg/day vs placebo, 12 weeks
- Outcome
- depression severity (HAM-D-17) and tolerability
- Journal
- Phytomedicine
Citation last checked 2026-06-21.