Intensive pace of life, constant rush, stress and sleeplessness cause that the percentage of people with sleep problems, prolonged states of nervous tension and depression is constantly increasing. At the same time, the use of synthetic sedative and antidepressant drugs may be associated with side effects. The alternative may be appropriate therapy with herbal medicines.
Properly selected treatment with plant extracts with known calming effect not only affects the mental zone, but can also relieve neurovegetative symptoms, including cramps in the gastrointestinal tract, accelerated heart rate or hot flushes. Although plant-derived drugs have a milder effect than synthetic preparations and similar results are achieved after a longer period of use, they rarely cause serious side effects.
Anxiolytic valerian, sleeping lavender
Valerian is a perennial plant found in Europe, North America, West Asia, Japan and Manchuria, growing on wet meadows, peat bogs and undergrowth. The medicinal raw material is rhizomes and valerian root, harvested in late autumn in the second year of vegetation. The plant is a source of essential oil with a sedative, hypnotic and anxiolytic effect.
The mechanism of valerian action consists in reuptake of the neurotransmitter GABA and stimulation of neurons to release it. The increase in GABA concentration causes the opening of ion channels in nerve cells, increased flow of chloride ions to the inside of the cell, which in turn contributes to the reduction of nerve cell excitability and inhibition of response to stimuli.
It has been proven that the use of valerian preparations improves sleep quality, reduces anxiety in a similar way to synthetic diazepam and can help children with ADHD to improve their behavior. The effects of valerian activity appeared after a minimum of 2 weeks of use.
The same mechanism of action as the valerian leaves shows narrow-leaf lavender, cultivated in many countries of Europe and North America. It was a favorite addition to bathing the ancient Romans, and from the wordlavo (Latin, wash) took its name. The essential oil of lavender flowers, collected just before the development, lengthens the sleep time, reduces body temperature and mobility, without interfering with the motor coordination. It has been shown that lavender inhalations before a visit to the dentist can significantly reduce the stress associated with treatments. Used together with antidepressants, it enhances their action.
Hops and lemon balm for feminine problems
Hops grown in the temperate climate zone are the source of hop cones used in herbal medicine (female inflorescences) and lupulin (glandular hairs). The raw material contains essential oil, resins, flavonoids, phenolic acids and tannins. It has an inhibitory effect on the function of the cerebral cortex, reducing the sensitivity of some centers in the medulla and spinal cord and hindering the transfer of stimuli to the brain. Hops, in addition to calming properties, also have oestrogenic activity. It has been proven that preparations with hops soothe unpleasant symptoms associated with menopause, including hot flushes, anxiety and depression.
On the other hand, lemon balm grown in Europe, Asia and North America can help when we are struggling with symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Aromatic lemon balm leaves can also help people with advanced dementia, reducing aggression and making others look for contacts. Melissa preparations also act as an anxiolytic, although at higher doses they cause drowsiness. It has been proven that lemon balm extracts can help in mild palpitations, reducing feelings of anxiety, insomnia and balancing the heart rhythm. Children with ADHD who were given melissa felt a significant improvement in their attention.
Herbal calming drugs can be an alternative to synthetic preparations with calming, anxiolytic and sleep-promoting effects.Well tolerated, not addictive and unlike synthetic drugs - they cause relatively few side effects.
Based:
N. Dobros,Herbs with a calming and antidepressant effect. Postępowanie Fitoterapii 3/2017, pp. 215-222