The Effect of Picricum Acidum and Phosphoricum Acidum Homaccord on Perceived Levels of Anxiety in University Students
Condition: Anxiety
MeSH terms: Anxiety Disorders
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 2

Summary: 
      Increased levels of stress and anxiety are experienced by many students. Stress can have a
      negative influence on academic outcome and performance, as well as on the student's mental
      health. Conventional treatment options for anxiety include counseling, as well as anxiolytics
      and antidepressants, which may have various adverse effects. Picricum acidum and Phosphoricum
      acidum are homeopathic remedies that may be helpful in alleviating anxiety in students;
      however there has been no research done to date to show their efficacy for this condition.

      The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Picricum acidum and Phosphoricum acidum
      Homaccord on perceived levels of anxiety in university students, by means of the
      State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory and Anxiety Symptom Score Card.
    

Detailed description: 
      This study will be a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, conducted over a
      two-week period at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Health Clinic, Doornfontein Campus.
      Thirty university students, aged between 18 and 45 years, will be recruited into the study by
      means of advertisements placed on the campus with relevant permission given. Participants
      will attend an initial consultation and will be requested to sign a Participant Information
      and Consent form, complete the Participant Information Sheet, and a Remedy Symptom
      Questionnaire to determine inclusion into the study. Participants' vital signs will be
      measured. Participants will then receive a 16ml vial of either the Picricum acidum and
      Phosphoricum acidum Homaccord pillules, or a placebo (unmedicated sucrose pillules), which
      will be randomized and dispensed by the UJ Homeopathic Dispenser. Participants will be
      requested to take 5 pillules in a daily dose for 14 days, commencing 21 days before and
      ceasing 7 days prior to the start of examinations. The State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory (STAI)
      and the Anxiety Symptom Score Card will be completed 21 days prior to the first academic
      examination, as well as on the last day of taking the medication. Data will be collected and
      analyzed by Statkon, using the Shapiro-Wilk test, the Mann-Whitney test and the Wilcoxon
      signed ranks test.

      The outcome of this research may show that the Homeopathic Picricum acidum and Phosphoricum
      acidum Homaccord has a positive effect in alleviating anxiety in university students,
      allowing for further studies in the field.
    

Intervention name(s): Sucrose pillules; Homeopathic homaccord
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Unmedicated sucrose pillules; Sucrose pillules medicated with Picricum acidum and Phosphoricum acidum in potencies of 6CH, 30CH and 200CH.
Other intervention name(s): Saccharum officinale; Picricum acidum and Phosphoricum acidum homaccord
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: anxiety; students; examinations; Homeopathy