anti-anxiety

Lemon Balm

Apigen

Chrysin

5.8. Serpent wood

The drug is obtained from the roots and rhizomes of Rauwolfia serpentine. Three alkaloids are obtained from it; used as hypotensive and tranquillizer. Approximately 400 to 500 tonnes of the roots are exploited annually, mainly in India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Another 800 tonnes are collected from wild sources in the western coast of Africa, mainly in Zaire, Mozambique and Rwanda, from where it is exported to Italy and West Germany (Husain, 1991).

 

 

• Valerian
• Hops
• Hypericum Extract
• Passion Flower
• Ashwagandha Root
• Skullcap
• Kava Root
• Zhen zhu mu
• Jiaogulan

 

 

 

PLANT SEDATIVES

Researchers studied the sedative effects of eight plant extracts: valerian (Valeriana officinalis), lavender (Lavandula vera), passion flower (Passiflora incarnata), kava (Piper methysticum), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), and ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) in two cross-over studies with 12 women each. St. John’s wort, California poppy, lemon balm, lavender, kava, and valerian—in this order—relaxed the brain by decreasing theta waves and increased beta waves, in a manner very similar to diazepam. Brain wave activity caused by ginkgo, and passionflower was comparable to the placebo. Valerian and lavender caused the most relaxation. The other extracts were slightly less relaxing. The exceptions were lemon balm and St. John’s wort, which proved no better than the placebo. None of the herbs were as effective as the sedative drug diazepam.  

In AHA Volume 15: Issue 3, 1999.

REFERENCE: Schultz, H. et al. 1998. Quantitative EEG as a screening instrument to identify sedative effects of single doses of plant extracts in comparison with diazepam. Phytomedicine vol. 5.

VALERIAN VARIATIONS

The quantity of medicinal compounds in valerian (Valeriana officinalis) plants varies from year to year and month to month. The most essential oil, ranging from 1.2% to 2.1%, occurs in September. Valerenic acid and valepotriates, important medicinal components in valerian, reach their maximum in February and March at 0.7-0.9% and 1.1-1.4.

In AHA Volume 15: Issue 1, 1999.

REFERENCE: Bos, RH, et al. 1998. Cytotoxic potential of valerian constituents and valerian tinctures. Phytomedicine 5(3)"219-25.

GLOBE’S EXPOSE ON ST. JOHN’S WORT

The Boston Globe ran a January 2000 story on the considerable variation in some St. John's wort supplements. An analysis of products by PhytoChem found that they contained between 0.25-0.28% of the compound hypericin. Only Nature’s Resource had 0.3% hypericin as labeled. Paracelsian laboratory measured St. John wort’s ability to work by blocking reabsorption of serotonin and dopamine (neurotransmitters involved in depression), which makes them more accessible. Only Quanterra and NatureMade did so. The Herb Research Foundation released a December 1999 statement criticizing the study for assuming hypericin is St. John’s wort’s only active ingredient. PhytoChem is concerned over drawing conclusions from such limited testing, and Pharmavite said the data was not reliable enough as an indicator.

In AHA Volume 16: Issue 1, 2000.

 

Kava Extract Relieves Anxiety: Meta-Analysis

To perform a meta-analysis, researchers select the best of available clinical trials, then review and combine the results, allowing them to draw conclusions with more confidence than would be possible from isolated studies. For a meta-analysis of trials on kava (Piper methysticum G. Forster., Piperaceae), researchers at the University of Exeter, UK, selected three out of 14 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials (Pittler et al., 2000). Their results help confirm the validity of the individual kava studies: Compared with placebo, kava extract is an efficacious treatment for anxiety. The three trials were selected based on their use of the same outcome measurement (the standard Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, or HAM-A) and inclusion criteria (a baseline HAM-A score of 19 or higher), as well as the type and dosage of the kava preparation tested (300 mg/day of extract standardized to deliver a total daily dose of 70 percent kavapyrones, i.e., 210 mg). All three trials utilized the same kava extract, WS 1490 (Laitan®, manufactured by W. Schwabe, Karlsruhe, Germany). Results of the meta-analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in anxiety scores as measured by the HAM-A. The scientists noted that these findings are supported by the results of the largest randomized clinical trial in their database (Volz et al., 1997), and that the results were similar to those of kava clinical research in general. Patients in the three studies took 100 mg three times daily of kava extract for up to 24 weeks, and analysis suggested a "significant reduction in the HAM-A total score of approximately 10 points in favor of kava extract." In none of the studies did placebo rate higher than kava in reducing anxiety.

According to U.S statistics, around 17 percent of the population experiences anxiety disorders in any one year, and the lifetime prevalence is almost 25 percent. Conventional treatment involves benzodiazepine drugs, which can have serious side effects, including dependence, daytime drowsiness, and memory impairment, among others. Kava, on the other hand, has demonstrated a remarkable safety profile, with side effects of only 1.5 to 2.3 percent reported in studies of more than 3,000 patients. The adverse events reported most often by kava users were gastrointestinal complaints, allergic skin reactions, headache, and photosensitivity. The researchers noted that as patients often prefer natural alternatives, physicians should consider kava extract as a viable treatment option for patients experiencing anxiety disorders.

- Rob McCaleb, Herb Research Foundation [Pittler MH, Ernst E. Efficacy of kava extract for treating anxiety: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2000; 20: 84-89. Volz H-P, Kieser M. Kava-kava extract WS1490 versus placebo in anxiety disorders: a randomized placebo-controlled 25-week outpatient trial. Pharmacopsychiatry 1997; 30: 1-5.]

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose or cure any disease. The information contained herein is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.