Indications Anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, tension, and pain syndromes. Mechanism of Action The neurophysiological activities of Piper methysticum are attributed primarily to the lipophilic resinous compounds, known as kavalactones (also known as kava pyrones), found in the root. To date, 18 different kavalactones have been identified; however, approximately 96% of the…
Indications Insomnia and possibly nervousness and anxiety. Mechanism of Action Several constituents of Valeriana officinalis have been found to have sedative or anxiolytic properties. These constituents are valerenic acid (VA), 6-methylapigenin (MA), (2S)-hesperidin (HN), and the flavonoid glycoside linarin (LN). VA and MA have been shown to have GABAergic activity.…
Indications Insomnia, anxiety, and nervous tension. Mechanism of Action The above-ground parts, principally the leaves and flowers, are used medicinally. Two important flavonoids found in Scutellaria are baicalin and wogonin. They are thought to be GABAergic, binding to the benzodiazepine site of the γ-aminobutyric (GABA) receptor, and thereby have a…
Indications Anxiety and insomnia. Mechanism of Action The most studied constituents in the volatile oil of Nepeta cataria, Nepeta persica, and other Nepeta species are diastereomeric nepetalactones and monoterpenoids such as linalool. Nepeta persica contains a volatile oil that consists of 2.8% and 30.5% of a combination of linalool and…
Indications Hypertension, arrhythmia and nervous palpitations, anxiety, and insomnia. Mechanism of Action Melissa contains phenolic acid derivatives such as rosmarinic and the related lithospermic and chlorogenic acids,1 and it is a natural inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzymes.2 Rosmarinic acid and the triterpenoids oleanolic acid and ursolic acid inhibit γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)…
