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 .
Assessing subjective and psychomotor effects of the herbal medication valerian in healthy volunteers
Valerian is the common name given to the genus Valeriana , an odiferous , herbaceous perennial plant widely distributed in the temperate regions of Asia , Europe , and North America . It is among the most widely used herbal medicines in the world . Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated valerian 's ability to improve sleep ; however , to the best of our knowledge , no study has systematic ally assessed subjective and psychomotor/cognitive effects of valerian in young healthy adults across a range of doses . In the present study , we sought to determine whether valerian extract ( Valeriana officinalis ) altered mood and /or impaired psychomotor/cognitive performance in young healthy volunteers . We examined the effects of valerian extract ( 600 , 1200 , and 1800 mg ) and 10 mg diazepam ( positive control ) compared to placebo in 10 young healthy volunteers . Dependent measures included subjective and psychomotor variables . The valerian extract had no significant effects on any of the dependent measures . Diazepam , though , produced subjective effects as measured by four different rating scales , and impaired psychomotor/cognitive performance . The data suggest that acute administration of valerian does not have mood-altering or psychomotor/cognitive effects in young healthy volunteers
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 .