A Comparison of Combined Methylphenidate With Common Figs and Almond Syrup, Methylphenidate With Sweet Almond Syrup, and Methylphenidate With Placebo Syrup in the Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Adhd: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group Clinical Trial Publisher



Mohammadi Kenari H ; Effatpanah M ; Yekaninejad M S ; Karimi M ; Kordafshari G ; Aliasl J ; Rajabi Damavandi G ; Mahjoub A
Source: Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran Published:2025

Abstract

Background: One of the most common health disorders among children is attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some patients do not respond to current treatments or are unable to tolerate their side effects. In Persian medicine, both sweet almonds and figs are brain tonics and are helpful for neurological diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of fig and sweet almond syrup on children with ADHD. Methods: The patients with ADHD (age 6 to 14 years) were randomly assigned to 3 groups. All groups received the standard drug methylphenidate. The first group (A) received almond and fig syrup, the second group (B) received sweet almond syrup, and the third group (C) received a placebo syrup. The outcomes were assessed using a short and revised version of the Connors Rating Scale (CPRS-R-S) and the Parent ADHD Rating Scale every 4 weeks for 12 weeks. Results: This study showed that, based on the CPRS-R-S, cognitive problems/inattention scores changed from baseline to week 12 in group A (10.87 ± 5.06 to 6.55 ± 2.63), group B (11.57 ± 3.52 to 6.20 ± 2.28), and group C (8.05 ± 5.22 to 8.10 ± 3.56). Significant improvement was observed in groups A and B (P = 0.009). Conclusion: This study found that a syrup combining figs and sweet almonds may serve as a complementary treatment for children with inattentive ADHD. When used alongside methylphenidate, the syrup significantly improved inattention and cognitive/attention difficulties. Copyright © Iran University of Medical Sciences. This work has been published under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.