Herbal Medicine for OCD

OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is a chronic anxiety disorder. If you suffer from OCD, you may experience unreasonable fears, or obsessions, coupled with the compulsion to perform repetitive behaviors to relieve your anxiety. OCD may be a learned behavior or it may be related to insufficient serotonin, a chemical messenger in your brain that regulates mood, sleep, appetite and pain perception. Herbs may help relieve symptoms of OCD, but consult your health care practitioner before starting herbal therapy.

Herbal Actions

Conventional medication for OCD may include antidepressants and antipsychotics, but these can have unpleasant side effects and may not work for everyone. Herbal medicines for OCD include herbs that reduce anxiety, calm nerves and relieve depression. These remedies may help you relax, improve your appetite and sleep better. You should not combine relaxing and antidepressant herbs with other medications for this disorder, as they may enhance the effects.

Valerian

Valerian, or Valeriana officinalis, is an ancient herb, used by the Greeks and Romans in cases of insomnia. It has a calming effect in small doses and acts as a sedative in larger doses. The roots contain volatile oil and chemicals known as valepotriates, which interact with your brain's benzodiazepine and GABA receptors. By increasing the amount of the inhibitory neurotransmitter called gamma aminobutyric acid, or GABA, valerian helps relax your nerves and reduce anxiety. In their 2000 book, "The Herbal Drugstore," Dr. Linda B. White and medicinal plant expert Steven Foster recommend capsules or tinctures for OCD. Valerian may make you drowsy, so don't drive after using this herb, and don't combine it with other sedative drugs.

Spiny Jujube

Spiny jujube, or Ziziphus spinosa, is a small tree with spiny branches and an edible date-like fruit. The seeds, known in traditional Chinese medicine as suan zao ren, have a calming and sedative effect. Traditional practitioners make a tea from the crushed and boiled seeds to treat anxiety, nervousness and insomnia. In a report published in the July 2009 issue of the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology," researchers state that the herb interacts with receptors that regulate serotonin in the brain, reducing stress in a way comparable to the anti-anxiety drug diazepam. Do not combine spiny jujube with other sedatives or antidepressants.

California Poppy

California poppy, or Eschscholzia californica, is an annual herb with bright orange flowers and the official state flower of California. Herbalists use the aerial parts to treat insomnia, anxiety and nerve pain. The active ingredients include alkaloids, such as protopine, that affect GABA receptors. White and Foster advise drinking several cups of tea made with the dried herb or roots, or using a tincture. Do not use this herb if you are pregnant or taking antidepressants that are MAO-inhibitors.