Long-term use of certain drugs and alcohol can cause uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when you quit taking the substances. These withdrawal symptoms can be mild or even fatal. Many people require certain medications or herbal treatments to help to overcome drug withdrawal. Because of the potentially life-threatening nature of drug withdrawal, you must consult your doctor before taking any herbal remedy.
Identification
Withdrawal symptoms from prescription or illegal drugs can range from mild to severe, depending on the length of time and amount of the drugs taken, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Some of the most common symptoms of drug withdrawal include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating, nervousness and seizures, according to the University of Michigan Health System. In some cases, drug withdrawal can be fatal.
Herbal Remedies
You might take certain herbal remedies to ease the symptoms of withdrawal from narcotics or other drugs. Herbs such as bacopa, lobelia and passionflower could help during drug withdrawal, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Rosemary and velvet antler might also have the potential for treating drug withdrawal symptoms. No conclusive medical research has supported the use of any herbal treatments for drug withdrawal or addiction, however. Talk with a health-care professional before taking these herbs.
Function
Bacopa contains saponins called bacosides that appear to affect the brain by enhancing the neurotransmitters acetylcholine and serotonin. These actions in the brain, along with antioxidant effects, may help in relieving anxiety, depression and other psychological factors in drug withdrawal. Passionflower contains constituents such as alkaloids, maltol and gamma-pyrone derivatives that may activate gamma aminobutyric acid or “GABA” receptors and inhibit monoamine oxidase, causing sedative effects, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. These specific sedative actions in the body might help in treating withdrawal symptoms associated with opiates and benzodiazepines. Lobelia’s main constituent, called lobeline, appears to increase dopamine and norepinephrine release, which account for its potential use as an antidepressant and drug-withdrawal aid.
Scientific Evidence
An in-vitro study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2002 found that bacopa extract appeared to ease morphine withdrawal symptoms in guinea pig ileum, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. A 2001 double-blind clinical trial of men addicted to opiates published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics found that taking passionflower along with the medication clonidine was more effective at treating the emotional and physical symptoms of drug withdrawal than taking clonidine alone. The lobeline contained in lobelia increased dopamine and norepinephrine release while interfering with receptors associated with addiction, according to animal studies published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in 2000. Another study in the same journal in 2001 found that lobeline blocks the behavioral and neurochemical effects of amphetamine drugs. Additionally, a 2003 study in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that taking rosemary extract eased morphine withdrawal symptoms in mice. Two other studies using mice published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 1999 discovered that taking a water extract of velvet antler had antinarcotic effects relating to morphine.
Warnings
You might experience dry mouth, muscle weakness or nausea while taking bacopa, especially in large amounts. Common side effects of taking passionflower include dizziness, sedation and impaired mental function. Lobelia might also cause nausea and dizziness, as well as hypertension, sweating, vomiting, seizures, depression and other potentially dangerous side effects. Lobelia can also increase the effects of nicotine, potentially leading to toxicity, while passionflower can increase the effects of benzodiazepines, phentobarbital, anticoagulants and alcohol.
