Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite widespread use, more research is needed to assess the health effects of herbal plants. Preliminary research indicates that cucumber extract (Cucumis sativus L.) is safe and may exhibit analgesic properties for joint pain, but studies on its impact on other health-related outcomes-including mood, sleep, and health-related quality of life-are lacking. As part of a larger investigation, this study examined the effectiveness of a standardized powder of Cucumis sativus L. (Q-actin) on mood, anxiety, health-related quality of life, and sleep quality. METHODS: In this CONSORT-compliant double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 80 adults (M age = 50.10) were randomized to either the Cucumis sativus L. Group (CG; 20 mg/day) or Placebo Group (PG; rice protein, 20 mg/day) for 60 days. Participants completed the Prolife of Mood States, Trait Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, Health-related Quality of Life Scale, and Flinder's Fatigue Scale at Baseline, Day 15, Day 30, and Day 60. Daily assessments of adherence and adverse events were obtained. Data were collected from May 2024 to August 2024, stored electronically, and analyzed using general linear models and nonparametric tests. RESULTS: Significant main effects for Time and Condition (p's < 0.001) were observed, indicating overall improvements across time and differences between groups. Although the interaction effects were not significant, the CG showed greater improvements than the PG in fatigue, mood, sleep quality, perceived stress, anxiety, and health-related quality of life. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSION: Cucumis sativus L. shows potential as a herbal intervention for improving mood, sleep quality, and anxiety. However, due to the lack of significant group-by-time interaction effects, these results should be interpreted with caution. Larger, well-powered clinical trials are needed to confirm its efficacy across diverse populations and settings. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06246383.