The effect of wormwood vaginal gel on depression in women of reproductive age with sexual dysfunction: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Regarding to the relationship between depression and sexual dysfunction and its negative effects on quality of life, this study was performed aimed to investigate the effect of wormwood vaginal gel on depression in women of reproductive age with sexual dysfunction.

This two-group, triple- blinds randomized clinical trial study was performed in 2021 on 76 women referred to the gynecological clinic of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad. The study tools included: Demographic Information, Female Sexual function Index (FSFI), and the DASS-21 Depression questionnaires. At first, the subjects were randomly divided into the intervention and placebo groups and used vaginal gel for 4 weeks. Sexual Function and DASS-21 questionnaires were assessed in two groups before and 4 weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS software) version 25) and Independent t, Mann-Whitney, Paired t, Wilcoxon and chi-square tests.  P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference between the mean score of total sexual function (P=0.562) and depression (P=0.140) in the intervention and placebo groups. Four weeks after the intervention, the mean score of sexual function significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the placebo group and the mean score of depression significantly decreased in the intervention group compared to the placebo group (P<0.001). The women with moderate or mild depression before the intervention had mild or no depression after the intervention.

Wormwood gel effectively improves depression in women with mild to moderate depression and sexual dysfunction.