Herbal Medicines and Anxiety Disorders : an overview

This review paper looks at all the herbal medicines and formulas in treating anxiety disorders. A thorough Pubmed and the Cochrane internet search was made for pharmacological and clinical evidence of herbal medicines with antianxiety action. Good evidence exists for the use of kava in the treatment of anxiety, while there is insufficient clinical evidence for the use of many other herbal medicines in psychiatric disorders. Newer herbal preparations that potentially have significant use in anxiety and urgently require more research are Rhodiola rosea (roseroot), Crocus sativus (saffron), Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) and Piper methysticum (kava). They need further evidence base via clinical studies. Anxiety disorders are commonly researched but the efficacy of herbal medicines in these disorders needs to be studied further. The review addresses herbal therapy, safety issues and future areas of application in the field. Keyword: Herbal medications, anxiety, kava, passion flower.