Abstract
Anxiety is a common ailment in our society. However, the drugs available to treat mild-to-moderate anxiety, particularly benzodiazepines, are problematic because they can cause injury, produce side-effects, and create dependence. Nervine herbs have been widely used historically to treat mildto- moderate cases of anxiety, and these herbs appear to be very safe, nonaddictive but their properties as anxiolytics have been poorly researched.
This article discusses the clinical uses of a number of nervines: oat seed (Avena spp.), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), lavender (Lavandula spp.), chamomile (Matricaria recutita), lemonbalm (Melissa officinalis), passionflower (Passiflora spp.), skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), and verbena (also called vervain; Verbena spp.).
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