Hawthorn, California Poppy, and Magnesium Combination Found Safe and Possibly Effective for Mild to Moderate Anxiety

摘要

Anxiety disorders are a common complaint among patients of general practice physicians. Pharmaceuticals used to treat anxiety disorders produce significant side effects. Anxiolytic phytotherapy may be used as an alternative to pharmaceuticals for thetreatment of mild to moderate anxiety. In France, preparations containing hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata [Poir.] DC., syn. C. oxyacantha auct., Rosaceae), California poppy (Eschscholzia californica Cham., Papaveraceae), and magnesium are prescribed to treat anxiety disorders. Both of these botanicals are reported to have anxiolytic properties. Magnesium deficiency is thought to cause psychological disturbances. To the knowledge of the authors, there are no clinical studies confirming anxiolytic effects for hawthorn and California poppy. This paper reports on the efficacy of these botanicals for the treatment of anxiety disorders.