Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Ustukhuddus Alavi is a polyherbal formula which is introduced by Persian medicine scholars. It is traditionally used to treat brain disorders and is claimed to do so by preprocessing and cleansing the waste products from the brain. According to Persian medicine, the disposal of brain waste products is necessary for optimal cognitive performance. Aim of the study: Sustaining optimal cognitive performance is crucial for ideal quality of life and higher academic achievements in high school students. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of this multi-component herbal product on the cognitive performance and salivary cortisol levels of adolescent female students. Materials and methods: The effect of a 6-week randomly assigned Ustukhuddus Alavi versus placebo administration on cognitive performance was assessed by the paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT) at the baseline and after the 3- and 6-week intake of Ustukhuddus Alavi or placebo and the one-month follow-up in 86 healthy female high school students in grades 10 and 11. Additionally, we measured the levels of salivary cortisol of the students pre- and post-intervention. Results: Significant mean difference between the Ustukhuddus Alavi and placebo groups in three of the paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT) subscales, namely mental health (p-value = 0.006), sustained attention (p-value = 0.001) and mental fatigue (p-value = 0.001), were observed after six weeks. We also found a significant difference between the mean salivary cortisol level of the two groups after the intervention (p-value = 0.047). Conclusions: These findings reveal that the intake of the multi-ingredient herbal product Ustukhuddus Alavi for six weeks can be helpful for cognitive function and cortisol levels in female high school students. These positive effects seem to be related to the increase in sustained attention and the decrease in mental fatigue. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.