摘要：Background:Dementia as a major cognitive neurological disorder is defined as impairment in one or more cognitive territories compared with the former level of performance. This disorder disrupts patient's independence, and the patient would need others aid in order of doing daily and complex activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Rosa damascena extract in the improvement of cognitive function in patients with dementia.Methods:This study is a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on 40 patients older than 55 years with dementia referred to Specialized Elderly Patients Clinic in 2015–2016. Patients were divided randomly into two groups (control and intervention). The intervention group used donepezil andR. damascenacapsules, and in control group, placebo capsule instead ofR. damascenaadded on donepezil. Four test was filled three times at the study initiation, after month one and also after month three: Mini–Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R) were used for cognition evaluation, for depression assessment, Geriatric Depression Scale was administered, and checklist of memory and behavioral disorders were filled.Results:The results showed add-on donepezil andR. damascenaversus placebo improved cognitive impairment based on MMSE withP= 0.002, ACE-R with totalP= 0.001, depression (P= 0.012), behavioral disorders (P< 0.001), and daily activity (P< 0.001).Conclusions:TheR. damascenaextract affected cognitive impairment of dementia patients significantly and also have significant effects on improving depression and behavioral problems.
