Effects of orally administered Thymus vulgaris leaves on memory, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality in university students: a randomized controlled trial

A. Alqudah, E.Y. Qnais, Y. Bseiso, O. Gammoh, M. Wedyan, B.S. Alotaibi

Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan. Abdelrahim@hu.edu.jo

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• Phytomedicine

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of orally administering Thymus vulgaris leaves on memory performance, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality in a sample of university students.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled trial included 106 students who were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group received 500 mg of Thymus vulgaris leaves twice daily, while the second group received a placebo. The intervention period lasted for one month. The participants’ memory performance (both prospective and retrospective), levels of anxiety and depression, and sleep quality were assessed using the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) at the beginning of the study and after one month.

RESULTS: The findings revealed significant reductions in the scores of all scales and subscales, with the exception of the sleep latency and sleep duration components of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory, among the group that received Thymus vulgaris leaves in comparison to the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: Thymus vulgaris leaves, a traditional food source, demonstrate potential for enhancing both prospective and retrospective memory, alleviating anxiety and depression, and improving sleep quality in university students.

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