[Treatment of perioperative anxiety in suspected breast carcinoma with a phytogenic tranquilizer].

Objective: The present study examined the anxiolytic effect of the herbal preparation Kavosporal forte in 20 patients with situationally induced anxiety.
Material and Methods: The degree of anxiety was acute in that the patients were waiting for the results of a histopathological diagnosis, carried out on account of suspect mammary findings, and therefore feared they were suffering from a mammary carcinoma.
Results: A significant reduction of anxiety compared with the placebo control was seen after a week's treatment with Kavosporal forte, levels of anxiety being measured a priori from the combined scores of two self-rating scales and one observer-rated scale. In addition, a significant increase was noted in alertness and a lessening of fatigue, introverted behavior and excitability as well as a reduction in levels of depression under the real therapeutic agent over the observation period. In none of the cases examined did any undesirable side effects occur, and the overall tolerance was also consistently good.
Conclusions: It could therefore be concluded that the preparation under investigation is well suited of amelioration of the anxiety that arises regularly in connection with a mammary biopsy.