The power of plants is usually underestimated. They are often overshadowed by drugs and medications that have become a more popular form of healing. The funny thing is that medicinal plants were all the medicine we had before medical drugs were invented. They are still the inspiration for many drugs today, like white willow bark, which has the same active ingredient as aspirin. We talk a lot about kava here, but there are several others that have similar effects and benefits.
Kava is known for its anti-anxiety effects. It acts on the systems in your brain that bring feelings of calm and relaxation. It’s been gaining popularity in recent years as an alcohol alternative, as it has similar effects without negative side effects like hangovers or addiction.
Other herbs have similar effects to kava. Some can be paired with it to boost its effects, while others are beneficial in different ways and best used on their own.
St John’s wort
This flowering herb is best known for treating depression. Holistic practitioners have used it for decades as an alternative to antidepressant medications, which often have many unwanted side effects. It is also one of the medicinal plants that can be used with kava to boost its benefits.
One study reported that using kava and St. John’s Wort together had significant benefits in depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder. Researchers found a small effect in reducing anxiety, but it wasn’t significant. They relate this to the kava dose being too low.
Because anxiety and depression so often go hand in hand, it’s logical to think that these two herbs could be a treatment option; however, more research needs to be done.
Cannabidiol
Cannabidiol is one of the many active components of the cannabis plant. Commonly known by its acronym CBD, it’s the part of the plant with non-psychoactive effects. That is, you don’t get intoxicated or high from it. Some research has shown it can help manage psychiatric disorders like epilepsy, anxiety, and schizophrenia, but It’s most commonly used to treat sleep and anxiety issues.
CBD is considered a medicinal plant because of it’s relaxing and anti-stress effects. It reduces anxiety by reducing blood flow to specific areas of your brain that are responsible for anxiety. It also acts on special receptors in the cannabinoid system. Receptors are like bouncers for cells; they control what goes in and out. CBD acts on the CB2 receptor, which is known to have different therapeutic effects, such as reducing inflammation helps with pain and brain aging disorders.
Ashwagandha
This powerful root has been used for centuries in traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda. Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that helps manage stress and supports our bodies in returning to balance after stressful situations. Its effects are linked to the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, which plays a major role in our stress response.
This complex three-stage alarm process moves from sensing stress to signaling to the body it’s experiencing stress to releasing the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol helps us prepare for the stressor and fight or flight. This was much more helpful when we were primitive and had to watch out for wild animals.
Research has shown that Ashwagandha significantly reduced feelings of anxiety, depression and lowered levels of cortisol. This is important today as the way we experience stress has changed over the years. Our stress response was designed to get us out of short-term situations for our survival, after which, our stress levels decrease. Think about running from a sabre-toothed tiger. Unfortunately, we have evolved to experience a level of continuous stress, known as chronic stress, which keeps our cortisol levels high. This can lead to different health conditions, including obesity, muscle tension, headaches, digestive problems, heart disease, and sleep issues.
Medicinal plants like ashwagandha have proven to be incredibly helpful in combatting chronic stress patterns.
Passionflower
Passionflower is a plant native to southeastern parts of the United States and Central and South America. It has traditionally been used as a calming herb for treating anxiety and sleep issues. Today, it has even been used for conditions such as pain, some heart problems, and even ADHD. Medicinal plants like passionflower contain special phytochemicals with health-promoting properties.
Research reports that passionflower may significantly reduce levels of anxiety and help with other neuropsychiatric disorders and stress in patients. Interestingly, scientists believe that passionflower works on the same pathways as kava. It increases the chemical messenger GABA, which is known to slow down brain cell activity, giving people feelings of calm and relaxation.
Galphimia glauca
This is one of several medicinal plants used in Mexico to treat asthma, anxiety, epilepsy, sleep problems, and allergies. Its diverse set of compounds is what makes it so incredibly beneficial for therapeutic applications. Recent research has shown anti-inflammatory, gastrointestinal, anti-malarial, and cell-protecting activities.
Similar to kava, galphimia glauca has shown therapeutic effects for generalized anxiety disorder. In one study, researchers compared galphimia glauca to the anti-anxiety medication Lorazepam. After 15 weeks, the herb was more effective in lowering anxiety symptoms than the drug.
Final thoughts
While we at Kavahana are big fans of kava, there is comfort in knowing it’s not the only herb showing benefits for our health. Thinking about the anecdotal tradition behind many of these plant medicines, it’s exciting to think we’re coming back full circle to how we started treating our ailments. Just be sure you know how these medicinal plants interact with other medications you may be taking.
* Please note that the majority of kava research pertains to kava extracts, which often undergo significant processing and may contain additional ingredients and fillers that can influence their efficacy. It is crucial to consider this distinction when reading about kava studies. To draw an analogy, enjoying natural kava as a beverage can be likened to experiencing a freshly brewed cappuccino, whereas kava extracts are akin in functionality to a caffeine pill. Both forms have their unique benefits and can cater to different preferences and needs. While it’s helpful to understand research on kava extracts, please view it critically and remember that natural kava offers a uniquely holistic experience.
