The list of herbal ingredients that have a sedative and hypnotic effect is not long - there are only a few items. Some of them appear singly in specific products, but they are also often combined, which increases their potency.

Herbal calming preparationscan be purchased at a pharmacy without a prescription. This does not mean, however, thatherbs for sedationand insomnia are ineffective. Certainly, the strength of their action will be less than that of synthetic drugs, and you have to wait longer for the effect, but on the other hand, they do not have so many side effects - I will not be addictive or dull. Before choosing a preparation, it is worth paying attention to whether it is a drug or a supplement.

Synthetic drugs and herbal drugs

For a drug to appear on the market, a pharmaceutical company must first invest in a long-term research process that will prove its effectiveness and ensure the safety of the preparation. The most important are clinical trials documenting the therapeutic effectiveness of the drug. Only after they are carried out and the drug is registered by the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products, the preparation can be sold. From that moment on, it is subject to the control of the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector. This means constant monitoring of the conditions of production, storage and distribution of drugs.

The registration process of herbal medicines is somewhat simplified in this respect, because they are so-called pharmacopoeial drugs. Their composition, operation and detailed characteristics are described in the Polish Pharmacopoeia - a collection of information on drugs and medicinal substances. Due to the long-term use of pharmacopoeial drugs, their registration is carried out according to a very simplified procedure. There is no need to document the efficacy and safety of the products, and documenting the quality of these drugs is also very limited. Despite these simplifications, these are still medicinal products manufactured with the appropriate rigor of quality, the production of which uses certified herbal raw materials - in accordance with the guidelines of the Polish Pharmacopoeia in the context of the content of ingredients responsible for the operation.

How about a calming supplement?

In the case of a dietary supplement, the way to the pharmacy is even shorter. Its creation often consists of a combination of ingredients that, based on data from scientific literature, should have an effect on humansorganism in a certain way. Supplements may only contain substances and vitamins listed in the Regulation of the Minister of He alth of 18 May 2010 on the composition and labeling of dietary supplements, as well as in the European Union Directive 2002/46 / EC. However, the effect of their operation is not checked and monitored in any way. Their production does not require the use of expensive, standardized herbal raw materials with quality certificates. This is of particular importance in the case of sedative and hypnotic preparations that contain primarily herbal ingredients.

What are they made of?

There are only a few plants that have a sedative and hypnotic effect. There are single-ingredient herbal products on the market, but they are also combined to increase their potency. Most often, over-the-counter sedative and hypnotic drugs contain four herbal ingredients: valerian, i.e. valerian, lemon balm, passion flower and hops, i.e. humulus lupulus. But in preparations of this type you can also find other herbs - angelica, gentian, hawthorn.

  • Angelica (root) has a soothing, diastolic and expectorant effect, strengthens the nerves, calms the heart, and also has diaphoretic effects, helps with rheumatism, cough, gastroenteritis, epilepsy, insomnia, flu, colds, intestinal colic, heals the mouth mucosa and even stimulates the appetite. It is an aid to drug addicts and is recommended for alcohol and nicotine poisoning.
  • Some ingredients of gentian (bitterness) also have a calming effect. Although its root is primarily used to increase and restore the appetite and combat indigestion, it is also used as an additional ingredient in immune-boosting or calming preparations.
  • Hawthorn, in turn, affects the work of the heart, slightly increasing the strength and frequency of its contractions. It also lowers venous pressure and improves cerebral circulation. However, it is not recommended for children under 12 years of age.
Worth knowing

Home treatment

Herbal sedatives and hypnotics have few contraindications to use. People suffering from diabetes, however, should pay attention to the high sugar content in sedative preparations in the form of syrups, which may also contain alcohol. How long can herbal sedatives be used? It is assumed that self-treatment with their use should last at least a month. This is the time needed by the body to saturate itself with the ingredients of herbal raw materials and react to them appropriately. If, after a month of using such a preparation, we do not feel any improvement,see a doctor. However, if the improvement occurs and there are no side effects, then there are no contraindications to continue using the preparation, even for three months.

Valerian for calming down

Among the many ingredients of herbal medicines that help to calm and support the treatment of sleep disorders, valerian (Valeriana officinalis), commonly known as valerian - or in fact its root - has been the best studied. He can be called the king of sedative drugs without hesitation. It is a raw material with a typical calming effect, suppressing emotional states and the motor zone of the central nervous system. This is due to the content of ingredients such as valepotriate, valeric and isovaleric acid or hesperidin. The effect of valerian root is stronger in people with increased excitability than in people in a balanced mental state. Extracts from it are not addictive. The raw material also has an antispasmodic effect, readily used in cases of vegetative neuroses. It is also effective in treating insomnia. Overdosing on valerian is very difficult - the only reported case was that a patient ingested 20 g of powdered root. Minor symptoms of poisoning (fatigue, abdominal cramps, dizziness, trembling hands) disappeared after 24 hours.

Melisa

If valerian is the king of herbal sedatives and hypnotics, then lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is definitely their queen. The healing properties of this plant were known and used already in antiquity: they took a bath in lemon balm infusion to give the body a pleasant smell, the wine was flavored with lemon balm leaves, and it was also used as a remedy for insect bites. Currently, lemon balm leaves and the leafy tops of shoots collected before the flowering of the plant are used to prepare medicinal products. The substances contained in their essential oil (citral, citronellal, geraniol, linalool, rosmarinic acid) reduce the sensitivity of the central nervous system. The sedative effect is so strong that it sometimes even allows the doses of synthetic sedatives to be reduced or completely discontinued. Lemon balm leaves also have an antispasmodic effect and increase the secretion of digestive juices. Lemon balm infusion can be used in various digestive disorders, as well as in diseases of the biliary tract and as a means of relieving nausea, vomiting and colic. Lemon balm can be found in a wide variety of sedative preparations. It is available in the form of tablets, lozenges, syrups or tea. Due to its calming and relaxing effects, lemon balm infusion also soothes headaches and heart problemsassociated with nervous tension. The infusion (tea) is also recommended for relieving the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Passiflora

Flesh Martyr, the Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) comes from South America, but also occurs in Poland. It was discovered in 1569 in Peru by Spanish monks who took it as a sign from God, ordering the conversion of the Indians. Discoverers associated the shape of the martyr's flowers with symbols of Christ's Passion - a crown of thorns and nails. The South American Indians had known this plant for a long time, its fruit was a tasty food for them, and the herb was used as a pain reliever. The martyr herb was introduced to medicine in 1840 by Dr. Phares from Mississippi. Today it is a widely used raw material with a calming effect.

The raw material contains indole alkaloids, flavonoids, cyanogenic glycoside, phytosterols, mineral s alts and pasiflorin. In animal experiments it was found that passion flower abolished the stimulating effect of amphetamines, hence it is used in the treatment of drug addiction and alcoholism. It is most often used in states of nervous excitation, in heart disorders caused by emotional stimuli, in mild seizures of central origin, in ailments of the menopause period and as an auxiliary in spasms of the intestines and coronary vessels. Side effects of passionflower tablets are sometimes severe headaches and visual disturbances.

Common hop

In the cones (infructescences) of common hops (Humulus lupulus) there is the so-called lupulin - bitter resin. Both the cones and lupulin show a calming effect by inhibiting the activity of the cerebral cortex, reducing the sensitivity of certain centers in the medulla and spinal cord, and also hindering the transmission of stimuli to the brain. It is used in states of anxiety, difficulties with falling asleep and excessive excitability in nervous disorders of the menopause period. The bitter substances contained in hop cones stimulate the secretory activity of the stomach, thanks to which it is also used in digestive disorders to increase appetite, as well as in flatulence and excessive intestinal fermentation. Hop extracts have a spasmolytic effect on the muscles of the digestive tract. Moreover, the substances contained in the raw material have a weak antibacterial effect. Hops contain estrogenic compounds, which are used to alleviate the symptoms of the menopause. Research shows that hop extracts especially reduce hot flashes. Therefore, hops can be an effective additive in preparations for alternative treatment of menopausal symptoms.

monthly "Zdrowie"

Category:

He alth