Griffonia simplicifolia is a West African plant whose seeds are a natural source of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a direct precursor to serotonin. Serotonin dysregulation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and conventional treatments often include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The rationale for using Griffonia in OCD is based on the hypothesis that increasing serotonin levels may alleviate symptoms.

There is limited but suggestive scientific evidence supporting this use. A few small clinical studies and case reports have examined 5-HTP supplementation in OCD patients, with some reporting modest improvements in symptoms. For example, a pilot study from the 1970s found that 5-HTP reduced OCD symptoms in some individuals, but these studies are old, have small sample sizes, and often lack rigorous controls. There is a lack of large, well-designed randomized controlled trials directly assessing Griffonia extract or 5-HTP for OCD.

In summary, the use of Griffonia for OCD is supported by biochemical plausibility and limited preliminary evidence, but robust clinical validation is lacking. Most guidelines do not recommend 5-HTP or Griffonia as a first-line treatment for OCD due to insufficient high-quality evidence. Therefore, the evidence rating is 2 out of 5.