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Herbal remedies for anxiety
Introduction to herbal remedies for anxiety[Top] I fully admit that hardly anyone in my immediate circle uses herbal remedies for anxiety but that is just because of the company I keep. Most people I know tend to have a cigarette which ultimately can prove to be very harmful but each to their own, live and let live, etc. etc. I am not a smoker if I feel a bit anxious I prefer to drink chamomile tea, I've drunk it for years and it works for me. If you are a smoker or a nonsmoker perhaps you would like to consider some of the herbal remedies for anxiety shown below.
Kava[Top] Kava kava has been found to be as effective as Buspirone and Opipramol, two anxiety drugs. A study was conducted in Germany involving 129 patients who were given Buspirone, kava and Opipramol, daily for eight weeks, in the 9th week the patients were checked for withdrawal symptoms or a relapse. 75% of patients saw their anxiety levels reduced.
Read more about Kava
Passionflower[Top] In Iran, researchers conducted a study involving 60 patients. The patients were split into two groups, one group received the placebo while the other group took the passionflower extract. The results showed that anxiety scores were significantly reduced in the placebo group. The study is published in the anesthesia and analgesia journal.
Chamomile[Top] Chamomile is a popular herbal remedy for settling down nerves. In 2009, researchers in Holland conducted a study involving 61 outpatients with generalized anxiety disorder ranging from mild to s moderate. A placebo and a chamomile extract were used in the study. The Beck anxiety inventory and Hamilton anxiety rating were used to record anxiety levels. The results showed a significant drop in anxiety levels in those taking chamomile compared to the placebo. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. For more information see the chamomile page.
St John's wort[Top] St John's wort is often used as a herbal remedy for depression but it is also used for anxiety which is one of the symptoms of depression. Read more about St John's wort.
Valerian[Top] In a study published in phytomedicine, researchers from the University of Eastern Oregon and Gonzaga University in the U.S conducted a series of experiments on rats using valerian and an ethanol extract. The rat's anxiety levels were significantly reduced in the valerian group compared to the ethanol group. Read more about valerian.
Hawthorn and california poppy[Top] Researchers in France conducted a study involving patients with mild to moderate anxiety. 134 people were given the placebo and 130 people were given a hawthorn, california poppy and magnesium drug called Sympathyl. Anxiety levels were recorded seven, fourteen, thirty, sixty and ninety days after treatment. The results of the study showed that the decrease in anxiety levels in the sympathyl group was greater than the placebo. Read more about hawthorn. Return to natural healing home page
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