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 combination of plant extracts in the treatment of outpatients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood: controlled study versus placebo.
Euphytose ( EUP ) is a combination of six extracts : Crataegus , Ballota , Passiflora and Valeriana , which have mild sedative effects , and Cola and Paullinia , which mainly act as mild stimulants . This multicenter , double-blind , placebo-controlled general practice study was carried out patients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood . The study was coordinated by psychiatrists . Ninety-one patients were included in the EUP group and 91 patients in the placebo group . They all received two tablets three times a day over 28 days ( D ) . Evaluation using the Hamilton-anxiety ( HAM-A ) rating scale were carried out on D0 , D7 , D14 and on D28 . Comparing the two groups , 42.9 % of the patients ( EUP group ) had a HAM-A score of less than 10 at D28 versus 25.3 % in the placebo group ( P = 0.012 ) . Changes in the HAM-A score between D0 and D28 were as follows : D0 ( EUP : 26.12 + /- 4.0 , placebo : 26.27 + /- 4.5 ) , D7 ( EUP : 19.65 + /- 5.7 , placebo : 21.37 + /- 5.6 ) , D14 ( EUP : 15.36 + /- 5.7 , placebo : 17.48 + /- 6.7 ) , D28 ( EUP : 12.63 + /- 7.3 , placebo : 15.2 + /- 8.1 ) . From D7 to D28 there was a statistically significant difference ( P = 0.042 ) between the two treatments , indicating that EUP is better than placebo in the treatment of adjustment disorder with anxious mood
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 .