There are over 100 symptoms of anxiety, according to the website AnxietyCentre.org. Variability among individuals with respect to chemical makeup and personality leads to a wide range of differences in how stress is perceived; virtually any body system or systems can become involved. Natural remedies may be an effective option for those seeking to control symptoms of anxiety while avoiding the adverse effects of prescription drugs. However, before taking any herb or supplement, check with a health care professional.
Valerian
While valerian root has enjoyed popularity as a non-prescription remedy for sleep disorders and nervous tension, its precise mechanisms of action remain unclear, according to a study published in January 2008 in "Phytomedicine." To verify the effects of valerian, the study tested the sedative, anti-anxiety, antidepressant and muscle relaxant properties of two commercially available preparations on rats and mice. None of the doses tested, up to 1000 mg/kg body weight, resulted in a sedative effect. In a maze test, pronounced anti-anxiety effects were observed and one of the extracts showed antidepressant effects in a force swimming test. Muscle relaxant effects were not observed in the dosages tested. The researchers concluded that valerian's sleep inducing qualities stem from its anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects as opposed to muscle relaxant or sedative effects.
Passionflower
A meta-analysis study in the January 2007 issue of the "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews" looked at the safety and effectiveness of passionflower for anxiety. One study compared passionflower to benzodiazepines and found passionflower to be equivalent in effect, with no significant difference. Another study found improvement in job performance favoring passionflower over benzodiazepines; one study found less dizziness with passionflower compared to mexazolam. A study published in January 2010 in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology" found passionflower to have an anti-anxiety effect at low dose, but a sedative effect at high dose levels. The study tested different extraction methods such as water, petrol ether, ethyl acetate and alcohol; the dose at which a sedative effect was noted varied widely depending on the extraction technique.
Hops
Extracts of hops, botanical name Humulus lupus, were tested for sedative activity in a study published in September 2006 in "Phytomedicine." Alcohol and CO2 extracts were used in the study and both were found to increase sleeping time and reduce body temperature, indicating a sedative effect on the central nervous system and the results of a maze test showed anti-anxiety activity from a behavioral perspective.
Rhodiola Rosea
A study from an anxiety disorders program at UCLA used human subjects, given 340 mg of Rhodiola rosea extract for 10 weeks. Anxiety levels were subjectively reported by the participants via three subjective questionaire-type rating scales. Those who were given Rhodiola had significantly less anxiety, according to the rating scales. Side effects were mild and included dizziness and dry mouth.
References
- "Phytomedicine"; Extracts of Valeriana officinalis L. s.l. show anxiolytic and antidepressant effects but neither sedative nor myorelaxant properties; Hattesohl M., et al.; January 2008
- "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews"; Passiflora for anxiety disorder; Miyasaka LS; January 2007
- "Phytomedicine"; Sedating effect of Humulus lupus extracts; Schiller H, et al., September 2006
- "Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine"; A pilot study of Rhodiola rosea (Rhodax) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology"; Anxiolytic and sedative activities of Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa; Deng J; March 2010
- Anxiety Centre: Anxiety Symptoms
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