Collectively , the literature reveals pre clinical and clinical evidence for various phytomedicines modulating GABA-pathways , with comparative anxiolytic effect to the current array of pharmaceuticals , along with good safety and tolerability profiles
Anxiety disorders are chronic and functionally disabling conditions with high psychological stress , characterised by cognitive symptoms of excessive worry and focus difficulties and physiological symptoms such as muscle tension and insomnia .
Gamma-aminobutyric acid ( GABA ) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter within the central nervous system and is a key target of pharmacotherapies in the treatment of anxiety .
Although current pharmaceutical treatments are often efficacious , they may cause undesirable side effects including cognitive decrements and withdrawal symptoms .
Plant-based " phytomedicines " may provide novel treatment options , to act as an adjunctive or alternative to existing anxiolytic medications .
As such , we conducted a systematic review to assess the current body of literature on anxiolytic phytomedicines and /or phytoconstituents .
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on acoustic startle response in healthy subjects.
Investigations of the pharmacologic profile of medicinal plants have revealed that a number of plants with purported anxiolytic activity bind to cholecystokinin ( CCK ) receptors . This finding is intriguing in view of the proposed involvement of CCK in the pathophysiology of fear and anxiety . This double-blind , placebo-controlled study was undertaken to evaluate the anxiolytic activity of Gotu Kola ( Centella asiatica ) in healthy subjects .  Gotu Kola has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety . Recent studies in the rat have shown that long-term pretreatment with Gotu Kola decreases locomotor activity , enhances elevated-plus maze performance , and attenuates the acoustic startle response ( ASR ) . In this study , the authors evaluated the effects of Gotu Kola on the ASR in humans . Subjects were r and omly assigned to receive either a single 12-g orally administered dose of Gotu Kola ( N = 20 )  or placebo  ( N = 20 ) . The results revealed that compared with placebo , Gotu Kola significantly attenuated the peak ASR amplitude 30 and 60 minutes after treatment . Gotu Kola had no significant effect on self-rated mood , heart rate , or blood pressure . These preliminary findings suggest that Gotu Kola has anxiolytic activity in humans as revealed by the ASR . It remains to be seen whether this herb has therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of anxiety syndromes
Collectively , the literature reveals pre clinical and clinical evidence for various phytomedicines modulating GABA-pathways , with comparative anxiolytic effect to the current array of pharmaceuticals , along with good safety and tolerability profiles
Anxiety disorders are chronic and functionally disabling conditions with high psychological stress , characterised by cognitive symptoms of excessive worry and focus difficulties and physiological symptoms such as muscle tension and insomnia .
Gamma-aminobutyric acid ( GABA ) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter within the central nervous system and is a key target of pharmacotherapies in the treatment of anxiety .
Although current pharmaceutical treatments are often efficacious , they may cause undesirable side effects including cognitive decrements and withdrawal symptoms .
Plant-based " phytomedicines " may provide novel treatment options , to act as an adjunctive or alternative to existing anxiolytic medications .
As such , we conducted a systematic review to assess the current body of literature on anxiolytic phytomedicines and /or phytoconstituents .