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Are there any herbal therapies for anxiety disorders?

An anxiety disorder is a state of excess worry that interferes with a person’s daily life. Both Kava Kava (also called Kava) and Valerian have been used to help people with anxiety disorders. The effectiveness of these herbs has not been proven by medical research and benefits have not been directly compared to those of prescription drugs.

Kava has been used to relieve anxiety and improve sleep. Since Kava may increase the effects of alcohol, do not drink alcohol when taking it. Doses of 200 to 250 mg per day are considered safe and effective. There have been some links to liver toxicity with the use of Kava, so the U.S. FDA has issued these warnings to consumers regarding the use of Kava.

Valerian is a mild sedative. Its side effects are reported to be minimal when used at the recommended dose of 300 to 500 mg per day.

Sources:
The Review of Natural Products. Facts and Comparisons, 1999.
Peirce, A. The American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines. William Morrow & Co., 1999.
Leaman TL. “Anxiety Disorders”, Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice 26 (1999).
The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Pharmacists Letter Inc., 2000.
Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2007.
Medline Plus. Medline, 2007.

This answer prepared 6/2/2000.
This information updated 1/11/2007.