Herbs that may be helpful - Anxiety/Panic

Several plants, known as "nervines" (nerve tonics), are used in traditional herbal medicine for people with anxiety, with few reports of toxicity. Most nervines have not been rigorously investigated by scientific means to confirm their efficacy. However, one study found that a combination of the nervines valerian and passion flower reduced symptoms in people suffering from anxiety.9 In a double-blind study, 45 drops per day of an extract of passion flower taken for four weeks was as effective as 30 mg per day of oxazepam (Serax®), a medication used for anxiety.10

Other nervines include oats (oat straw), hops, passion flower, American scullcap, wood betony, motherwort, pennyroyal, and linden.

Bacopa, a traditional herb used in Ayurvedic medicine, has been shown to have anti-anxiety effects in animals.11 A preliminary study reported that a syrup containing an extract of dried bacopa herb reduced anxiety in people with anxiety neurosis.12 A double-blind trial in healthy adults found that 300 mg per day of a standardized bacopa extract reduced general feelings of anxiety, as assessed by a questionnaire.13

St. John's wort has been reported in one double-blind study to reduce anxiety.14

An old folk remedy for anxiety, particularly when it causes insomnia, is chamomile tea. There is evidence from test tube studies that chamomile contains compounds with a calming action.15 There are also animal studies that suggest a benefit from chamomile for anxiety,16 but no human studies support this belief. Often one cup of tea is taken three or more times per day.

Warning: Kava should only be taken with medical supervision. Kava is not for sale in certain parts of the world.

Until recently, the preeminent botanical remedy for anxiety was kava, an herb from the South Pacific. It has been extensively studied for this purpose.17 One 100 mg capsule standardized to 70% kava-lactones is given three times per day in many studies. Preliminary18 and double-blind trials19, 20 have validated the effectiveness of kava for people with anxiety, including menopausal women.21 A previous study found kava to be just as effective as benzodiazepines over the course of six weeks.22 The latest research shows that use of kava for up to six months is safe and effective compared with placebo.23 Although kava rarely causes side effects at the given amount, it may cause problems for some people if combined for more than a few days with benzodiazepines.24

Are there any side effects or interactions?

Refer to the individual herb for information about anyside effects or interactions.