PTSD’s Promising Treatment

PTSD is one of the trauma and traumabased disorders with 5–8% lifetime prevalence in the general population. It occurs following exposureto traumatic events outside the normal range. Main symptoms include re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal. Duration of the symptoms must be at least 1month, along with social and personal dysfunctions. The statics of the 8-year war andenormous earthquakes shows the high level of PTSD vulnerability in Iran. Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are the first-line treatments which can reduce PTSD symptoms as well as associated disorders.Benzodiazepines, Sodium valproate and pregabalin are also suggested for the treatment of PTSD. Previous treatments limitations such as the variety of proposed drugs, safety concerns, adverse side effects, limited efficacy, low tolerability and also controversial resultsof previous studies led us to design a study to further explore in this issue. Due to the similarity of the pathogenicity mechanisms in depression and PTSD, it is hypothesed that Saffron may have beneficial effects on PTSD. Saffron, the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L., highly valued agricultural product that largely cultivated in Iran, utilizes as a medicinal herb for various ailments. According the human tendencytoward using plant-derived compounds instead of chemical-medicines, special attention must be focused to link the worth of saffron, from basic sciences to patients’ bed. Antidepressant and antianxiety effects of saffron have been shown in previous animal studies along with the few clinical trials. Hence it has been suggested as a potential efficient and tolerable treatment with fewer side effects. Conclusion: For thispurpose, nanoparticle delivery methods are proved to be more promising, usable and less invasive than any other available methods for the treatment neurological diseases. Although this issue has been examined in animal models with the admissible result, furtherstudies are needed.