Clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes of Passiflora alata Curtis use in participants with mild to moderate anxiety: a non-randomized experimental study

TL;DR

This study found that Passiflora alata extract may be an effective and cost-effective treatment for mild to moderate anxiety.

Contribution

The study provides clinical, humanistic, and economic evidence supporting the use of Passiflora alata for anxiety management.

Findings

P. alata showed clinical effectiveness in 96.7% of participants with anxiety.

Participants reported perceived health improvements within the first weeks of treatment.

Economic analysis suggested cost differences favoring P. alata over conventional treatments.

Abstract

Anxiety is a disorder treated through psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy. Passiflora alata Curtis is a herbal medicine used as a therapeutic alternative, although clinical evidence supporting its effectiveness in anxiety management is limited.

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes in participants with anxiety treated with P. alata extract.

This was an open-label, non-randomized, before-and-after experimental study. Inclusion criteria were: age ≥ 18 years and anxiety symptoms. The clinical outcome was assessed using the GAD-7 scale, comparing scores between baseline (t0) and the final follow-up (t3). The humanistic outcome was assessed using the TSQM, applied 15 days after treatment initiation and again at t3. The economic outcome consisted of analyzing direct treatment-related costs.

P. alata demonstrated clinical effectiveness in 29 participants (96.7%). TSQM results indicated a perceived improvement in health status within the first weeks. Regarding economic outcomes, differences were observed between the protocols that included P. alata and the conventional treatments offered by the Brazilian Unified Health System.

It was concluded that the use of P. alata extract for anxiety management is a potential therapeutic alternative for incorporation into the Brazilian Unified Health System.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40199-026-00591-4.