Europe PMC · 2026-05-09
A review of 26 studies found that plant-derived compounds show early promise for reducing OCD-like symptoms by influencing brain chemistry, but the evidence is too thin and methodologically weak to recommend herbal treatments for OCD patients today.
26 studies (14 preclinical, 12 clinical) were included; plant compounds were found to influence serotonergic, dopaminergic, and GABAergic pathways associated with OCD
40–60% of patients on first-line OCD drugs (SSRIs) achieve only partial remission, underscoring the clinical gap that phytotherapy research is trying to fill
Evidence remains preliminary — most animal models used (e.g., marble-burying) lack specificity, human trials are few and low-quality, and no phytotherapy can currently be clinically recommended