Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies.
| Reference | Population | Comparator group(s) | N participants | Reserpine duration (weeks) | Reserpine dose (mg) | % depressed (baseline) | Primary outcome measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interventional studies | |||||||
| Davies et al. (1955) | Anxiety and depression | Placebo | 28 | 6 | 1 | 100 | Clinician assessment |
| Berger et al. (2005) | Cocaine dependence | Gabapentin, lamotrigine, placebo | 15 | 8 | 0.5 | NA | HAM-D |
| Hopkinson et al. (1975) | Depression | Placebo | 8 | 2 days | 5 IM | 100 | HAM-D |
| Veselinović et al. (2011) | Healthy volunteers | Aripiprazole, haloperidol, placebo | 18 | 1 | 0.25–1 | NA | HAM-D |
| Winhusen et al. (2007) | Cocaine dependence | Placebo | 42 | 12 | 0.25–0.5 | NA | HAM-D |
| Hodgkinson (1956) a | Hypertension | Placebo | 35 | 52–78 | 1–2 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Wachspress et al. (1956) | Various psychiatric | Placebo | 15 | 12 | 5–10 (IM/oral) | 40 | Clinician assessment |
| Finn et al. (1955) a | Schizophrenia | Placebo | 22 | 12 | 1.5–15 | NA | MSRPP |
| Azima et al. (1959) | Schizophrenia | Placebo | 10 | 4 | 3–10 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Achor et al. (1955) a | Hypertension | Whole-root preparation, placebo | 58 | 8 | 0.4 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Platt et al. (1956) a | Hypertension | Placebo | 54 | Variable | 0.5–2 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Santucci et al. (1989) | Hypertension | Captopril, metoprolol, methyldopa | 40 | 12 | 0.125 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Fife et al. (1959) a | Hypertension | Placebo | 71 | 6 d | 0.75–1.5 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Segal et al. (1959) | Anxiety b | Placebo | 42 | 3 | 1 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Lowinger (1957) a | Various psychiatric | Crude root extract, AF | 70 | 3 | 0.75–14 | 23 | Clinician assessment |
| Naturalistic studies | |||||||
| Bolte et al. (1959) | Hypertension | Crude root extract, AF | 270 | 4–156 | <0.5–>0.75 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Wallace (1955) | Hypertension | Various c | 44 | 52 | NR | NA | Observation |
| Sainz (1955) | Depression b | NA | 41 | 26 | 3–130 IV/oral | 100 | Clinician assessment |
| Lemieux et al. (1956) | Hypertension | Whole root extract, AF | 134 | 78 | 0.75–4 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Vakil (1949) | Hypertension | NA | 50 | 6 | NR | NA | Patient report |
| Drake et al. (1955) | Various psychiatric | NA | 40 | 1–26 | 0.125–4 | NA | Clinician assessment |
| Kirkegaard et al. (1958) | Various psychiatric b | NA | 1027 | Variable | 1–20 (IM/oral) | 13 | Clinician assessment |
| Bennett et al. (1956) | Various psychiatric b | Chlorpromazine | 91 | Variable | 3/5 oral/IM | 38 | Clinician assessment |
| Hiob et al. (1955) | Various psychiatric b | NA | 55 | 6 | 6–15 mg (avg 9.2) | 47 | Observation |
| Pellerito (1956) | Various psychiatric | Chlorpromazine | ~100 | Variable | ⩽3 | NR | Observation |
| Krajnáková et al. (1981) | Hypertension | Rauwolfia crystepin | 36 | Long term | NR | NA | BDI |
| Schwarz et al. (1973) | Hypertension | Clonidine, placebo | 80 | 4 | 0.05–0.5 | NR | HAM-D |
| Ingrova et al. (1963) | Various psychiatric | NA | 24 | 4 | 3–6 (IM/oral) | 22 | Observation |
| Jeri (1957) | Psychosis | NA | 159 | 4–6 | 10–30 (IM and oral) | 0 | Observation |
| Kirk et al. (1970) | Depression b | NA | 24 | Single dose | 10 IM | 100 | Clinician assessment |
| Carney et al. (1969) | Depression | NA | 8 | 2 days | 10 | 100 | HAM-D |
| Bant (1978) | Hypertension | Diuretic, methyldopa, adrenergic/beta-blockers | 20 | 52 | 0.2 | NA | BHPT (score > 40) |
| X-sec | |||||||
| Zhu et al. (2019) | Hypertension | NA | 787 | 52+ | 0.1–0.2 | NA | ZSDS (score > 52) |
| Prisant et al. (1991) | Hypertension | Diuretic, beta-blockers, no drug | 111 | 13+ | <0.125–>0.125 | NA | ZSDS ⩾ 50 |
| Dissegna et al. (1985) | Hypertension | Beta-blockers, methyldopa, clonidine, diuretic | 73 | NR | 0.1–0.25 | NA | Kellner and Sheffield |
AF: alseroxylon fraction; BDI: Beck’s depression inventory; BHPT: British Hospital Progress Test; HAM-D: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; IM: intramuscular, IV: intravenous; MSRPP: Multidimensional Scale for Rating Psychiatric Patients; NA: not applicable; NR: not reported; X-sec: cross-sectional study; ZSDS: Zung self-rating depression scale.
a
Non-randomised.
b
Describes eligible depression subgroup where full sample did not meet review inclusion criteria.
c
Phenobaritone, aminophyllin, ganglion-blockers, parenteral hexamethonium, combined reserpine and pentolinium.
d
Outcomes came from follow-up (follow-up period average of 13.4 months).