select herbal references
I spend a lot of time poring through the medical literature on the efficacy (or sometimes lack thereof) of herbal medicine. As such, my poor computer often has a million zillion tabs open — and only students who actually read the citations at the end of my powerpoints benefit from this work.
So, to support your education and my computer hygiene, I’m posting many of them here. (For studies related to health, mental health and climate change, check out NDClimate.org.)
Consider it a starting point for your own research — and please do share any cool new studies you find! If we’re not already connected by email, just shoot me a note from my contact page and sign up below to get my emails in your inbox.
Salúd!
—Dr. Orna
Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa)
Beppe, Galba Jean et al. “The aqueous extract of Albizia adianthifolia leaves attenuates 6-hydroxydopamine-induced anxiety, depression and oxidative stress in rat amygdala.” BMC complementary and alternative medicine vol. 15 374. 19 Oct. 2015, doi:10.1186/s12906-015-0912-0
Chang, Jui-Shu et al. “Albizia julibrissin Ameliorates Memory Loss Induced by Insomnia in Drosophila.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 2019 7395962. 1 Apr. 2019, doi:10.1155/2019/7395962
Huang, Bishan et al. “Molecular basis and mechanism of action of Albizia julibrissin in depression treatment and clinical application of its formulae.” Chinese herbal medicines vol. 15,2 201-213. 15 Mar. 2023, doi:10.1016/j.chmed.2022.10.004
Huang, Bishan et al. “Two Lignan Glycosides from Albizia julibrissin Durazz. Noncompetitively Inhibit Serotonin Transporter.” Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 15,3 344. 11 Mar. 2022, doi:10.3390/ph15030344
Kim, Ji-Hyun et al. “Antidepressant-like effects of Albizzia julibrissin in mice: involvement of the 5-HT1A receptor system.” Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior vol. 87,1 (2007): 41-7. doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2007.03.018
Kim, Won-Ki et al. “Anxiolytic-like effects of extracts from Albizzia julibrissin bark in the elevated plus-maze in rats.” Life sciences vol. 75,23 (2004): 2787-95. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2004.05.024
Asparagus racemosus (Sitawari)
Sharma, Ajitha, and Devasya Narayana Sharma. “A comprehensive review of the pharmacological actions of Asparagus racemosus.” Am. J. Pharm. Tech. Res 7.1 (2017).
Chamomilla recutita (chamomile)
Chang SM, Chen CH. Effects of an intervention with drinking chamomile tea on sleep quality and depression in sleep disturbed postnatal women: a randomized controlled trial. J Adv Nurs. 2016 Feb;72(2):306-15. doi: 10.1111/jan.12836. Epub 2015 Oct 20. PMID: 26483209.
Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Mol Med Rep. 2010 Nov 1;3(6):895-901. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2010.377. PMID: 21132119; PMCID: PMC2995283.
Crataegus spp. (hawthorn)
Can, Özgür Devrim, et al. “Effects of hawthorn seed and pulp extracts on the central nervous system.” Pharmaceutical biology 48.8 (2010): 924-931.
De Simone M, De Feo R, Choucha A, Ciaglia E, Fezeu F. Enhancing Sleep Quality: Assessing the Efficacy of a Fixed Combination of Linden, Hawthorn, Vitamin B1, and Melatonin. Med Sci (Basel). 2023 Dec 28;12(1):2. doi: 10.3390/medsci12010002. PMID: 38249078; PMCID: PMC10801487.
Hanus M, Lafon J, Mathieu M. Double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a fixed combination containing two plant extracts (Crataegus oxyacantha and Eschscholtzia californica) and magnesium in mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders. Curr Med Res Opin. 2004 Jan;20(1):63-71. doi: 10.1185/030079903125002603. PMID: 14741074.
Lim DW, Han T, Jung J, Song Y, Um MY, Yoon M, Kim YT, Cho S, Kim IH, Han D, Lee C, Lee J. Chlorogenic Acid from Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus pinnatifida Fruit) Prevents Stress Hormone-Induced Depressive Behavior, through Monoamine Oxidase B-Reactive Oxygen Species Signaling in Hippocampal Astrocytes of Mice. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2018 Aug;62(15):e1800029. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201800029. Epub 2018 Jul 11. PMID: 29893510.
Nitzan K, David D, Franko M, Toledano R, Fidelman S, Tenenbaum YS, Blonder M, Armoza-Eilat S, Shamir A, Rehavi M, Ben-Chaim Y, Doron R. Anxiolytic and antidepressants’ effect of Crataegus pinnatifida (Shan Zha): biochemical mechanisms. Transl Psychiatry. 2022 May 19;12(1):208. doi: 10.1038/s41398-022-01970-6. PMID: 35589704; PMCID: PMC9117595.
Popovic-Milenkovic MT, Tomovic MT, Brankovic SR, Ljujic BT, Jankovic SM. Antioxidant and anxiolytic activities of Crataegus nigra Wald. et Kit. berries. Acta Pol Pharm. 2014 Mar-Apr;71(2):279-85. PMID: 25272648.
Crocus sativus (saffron)
Ahmadpanah M, Ramezanshams F, Ghaleiha A, Akhondzadeh S, Sadeghi Bahmani D, Brand S. Crocus Sativus L. (saffron) versus sertraline on symptoms of depression among older people with major depressive disorders-a double-blind, randomized intervention study. Psychiatry Res. 2019 Dec;282:112613. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112613. Epub 2019 Oct 12. PMID: 31669837.
AKHOUNDZADEH, BASTI A., et al. “Petal and stigma of Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of depression: a pilot double-blind randomized trial.” (2008): 29-36. (PDF download)
Akhondzadeh S, Tahmacebi-Pour N, Noorbala AA, Amini H, Fallah-Pour H, Jamshidi AH, Khani M. Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res. 2005 Feb;19(2):148-51. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1647. PMID: 15852492.
Anderson, Pauline. “Saffron May Help SSRI-Related Sexual Dysfunction.” Medscape Medical News. May 23, 2025.
Akhondzadeh Basti, Afshin et al. “Comparison of petal of Crocus sativus L. and fluoxetine in the treatment of depressed outpatients: a pilot double-blind randomized trial.” Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry vol. 31,2 (2007): 439-42. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2006.11.010
Chauhan, Satendra et al. “Exploring the Potential of Saffron as a Therapeutic Agent in Depression Treatment: A Comparative Review.” The Yale journal of biology and medicine vol. 97,3 365-381. 30 Sep. 2024, doi:10.59249/XURF4540
Dai, Lili PhD∗; Chen, Lingyan PhD†; Wang, Wenjing PhD‡. Safety and Efficacy of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) for Treating Mild to Moderate Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 208(4):p 269-276, April 2020. | DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001118
Lopresti, Adrian L et al. “Effects of saffron on sleep quality in healthy adults with self-reported poor sleep: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.” Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine vol. 16,6 (2020): 937-947. doi:10.5664/jcsm.8376
Lopresti AL, Drummond PD. Saffron (Crocus sativus) for depression: a systematic review of clinical studies and examination of underlying antidepressant mechanisms of action. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2014 Nov;29(6):517-27. doi: 10.1002/hup.2434. Epub 2014 Sep 22. PMID: 25384672.
Marx W, Lane M, Rocks T, Ruusunen A, Loughman A, Lopresti A, Marshall S, Berk M, Jacka F, Dean OM. Effect of saffron supplementation on symptoms of depression and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2019 Aug 1;77(8):557-571. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz023. PMID: 31135916.
Mazidi, Mohsen et al. “A double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in the treatment of anxiety and depression.” Journal of complementary & integrative medicine vol. 13,2 (2016): 195-9. doi:10.1515/jcim-2015-0043. (Abstract only.)
Orio L, Alen F, Ballesta A, Martin R, Gomez de Heras R. Antianhedonic and Antidepressant Effects of Affron®, a Standardized Saffron (Crocus Sativus L.) Extract. Molecules. 2020 Jul 15;25(14):3207. doi: 10.3390/molecules25143207. PMID: 32679643; PMCID: PMC7397008.
Pachikian BD, Copine S, Suchareau M, Deldicque L. Effects of Saffron Extract on Sleep Quality: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Apr 27;13(5):1473. doi: 10.3390/nu13051473. PMID: 33925432; PMCID: PMC8145009.
Sadat Rafiei, Seyyed Kiarash et al. “Saffron and Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.” Nutrition and metabolic insightsvol. 16 11786388231160317. 18 Jul. 2023, doi:10.1177/11786388231160317
Sahraian, Ali et al. “Study the effects of saffron on depression and lipid profiles: A double blind comparative study.” Asian journal of psychiatry vol. 22 (2016): 174-6. doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2015.10.012
Shafiee A, Jafarabady K, Seighali N, Mohammadi I, Rajai Firouz Abadi S, Abhari FS, Bakhtiyari M. Effect of Saffron Versus Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) in Treatment of Depression and Anxiety: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutr Rev. 2025 Mar 1;83(3):e751-e761. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae076. PMID: 38913392.
Shahmansouri, Nazila et al. “A randomized, double-blind, clinical trial comparing the efficacy and safety of Crocus sativus L. with fluoxetine for improving mild to moderate depression in post percutaneous coronary intervention patients.” Journal of affective disorders vol. 155 (2014): 216-22. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2013.11.003
Talaei, Ali et al. “Crocin, the main active saffron constituent, as an adjunctive treatment in major depressive disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot clinical trial.” Journal of affective disorders vol. 174 (2015): 51-6. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.11.035
Tóth, Barbara et al. “The Efficacy of Saffron in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Depression: A Meta-analysis.” Planta medica vol. 85,1 (2019): 24-31. doi:10.1055/a-0660-9565
Curcuma longa (turmeric)
Aggarwal BB, Yuan W, Li S, Gupta SC. Curcumin-free turmeric exhibits anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities: Identification of novel components of turmeric. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2013 Sep;57(9):1529-42. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201200838. Epub 2013 Jul 12. PMID: 23847105.
Fusar-Poli L, Vozza L, Gabbiadini A, Vanella A, Concas I, Tinacci S, Petralia A, Signorelli MS, Aguglia E. Curcumin for depression: a meta-analysis. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020;60(15):2643-2653. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1653260. Epub 2019 Aug 19. PMID: 31423805.
Kawasaki K, Muroyama K, Murosaki S. Effect of a water extract of Curcuma longa on emotional states in healthy participants. Biosci Microbiota Food Health. 2018;37(2):25-29. doi: 10.12938/bmfh.17-020. Epub 2018 Feb 2. PMID: 29662734; PMCID: PMC5897237.
Lopresti AL. Potential Role of Curcumin for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. CNS Drugs. 2022 Feb;36(2):123-141. doi: 10.1007/s40263-022-00901-9. Epub 2022 Feb 7. PMID: 35129813; PMCID: PMC8863697.
Ng, Qin Xiang, et al. “Clinical use of curcumin in depression: a meta-analysis.” Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 18.6 (2017): 503-508.
Ramaholimihaso T, Bouazzaoui F, Kaladjian A. Curcumin in Depression: Potential Mechanisms of Action and Current Evidence-A Narrative Review. Front Psychiatry. 2020 Nov 27;11:572533. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.572533. PMID: 33329109; PMCID: PMC7728608.
Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
Apaydin EA, Maher AR, Shanman R, Booth MS, Miles JN, Sorbero ME, Hempel S. A systematic review of St. John’s wort for major depressive disorder. Syst Rev. 2016 Sep 2;5(1):148. doi: 10.1186/s13643-016-0325-2. PMID: 27589952; PMCID: PMC5010734.
Butterweck V. Mechanism of action of St John’s wort in depression : what is known? CNS Drugs. 2003;17(8):539-62. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200317080-00001. PMID: 12775192.
Canenguez Benitez JS, Hernandez TE, Sundararajan R, Sarwar S, Arriaga AJ, Khan AT, Matayoshi A, Quintanilla HA, Kochhar H, Alam M, Mago A, Hans A, Benitez GA. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using St. John’s Wort as a Treatment for Depression. Cureus. 2022 Sep 22;14(9):e29468. doi: 10.7759/cureus.29468. PMID: 36299970; PMCID: PMC9587902.
Jiang ZM, Wang FF, Zhao YY, Lu LF, Jiang XY, Huang TQ, Lin Y, Guo L, Weng ZB, Liu EH. Hypericum perforatum L. attenuates depression by regulating Akkermansia muciniphila, tryptophan metabolism and NFκB-NLRP2-Caspase1-IL1β pathway. Phytomedicine. 2024 Sep;132:155847. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155847. Epub 2024 Jul 3. PMID: 38996505.
Kholghi G, Arjmandi-Rad S, Zarrindast MR, Vaseghi S. St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) and depression: what happens to the neurotransmitter systems? Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2022 Jun;395(6):629-642. doi: 10.1007/s00210-022-02229-z. Epub 2022 Mar 16. PMID: 35294606.
Ng QX, Venkatanarayanan N, Ho CY. Clinical use of Hypericum perforatum (St John’s wort) in depression: A meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2017 Mar 1;210:211-221. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.048. Epub 2017 Jan 3. PMID: 28064110.
Philipp M, Kohnen R, Hiller KO. Hypericum extract versus imipramine or placebo in patients with moderate depression: randomised multicentre study of treatment for eight weeks. BMJ. 1999 Dec 11;319(7224):1534-8. doi: 10.1136/bmj.319.7224.1534. Erratum in: BMJ 2000 Feb 5;320(7231):361. PMID: 10591711; PMCID: PMC28296.
Rahimi, Roja, Shekoufeh Nikfar, and Mohammad Abdollahi. “Efficacy and tolerability of Hypericum perforatum in major depressive disorder in comparison with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: a meta-analysis.” Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 33.1 (2009): 118-127.
Szegedi A, Kohnen R, Dienel A, Kieser M. Acute treatment of moderate to severe depression with hypericum extract WS 5570 (St John’s wort): randomised controlled double blind non-inferiority trial versus paroxetine. BMJ. 2005 Mar 5;330(7490):503. doi: 10.1136/bmj.38356.655266.82. Epub 2005 Feb 11. Erratum in: BMJ. 2005 Apr 2;330(7494):759. Dosage error in article text. PMID: 15708844; PMCID: PMC552808.
Lavandula spp. (lavender)
Koulivand PH, Khaleghi Ghadiri M, Gorji A. Lavender and the nervous system. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:681304. doi: 10.1155/2013/681304. Epub 2013 Mar 14. PMID: 23573142; PMCID: PMC3612440.
Nikfarjam M, Parvin N, Assarzadegan N, Asghari S. The Effects of Lavandula Angustifolia Mill Infusion on Depression in Patients Using Citalopram: A comparison Study. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2013 Aug;15(8):734-9. doi: 10.5812/ircmj.4173. Epub 2013 Aug 5. PMID: 24578844; PMCID: PMC3918201.
O’Connor DW, Eppingstall B, Taffe J, van der Ploeg ES. A randomized, controlled cross-over trial of dermally-applied lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) oil as a treatment of agitated behaviour in dementia. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013 Nov 13;13:315. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-315. PMID: 24219098; PMCID: PMC3827620.
Seifritz E, Kasper S, Möller HJ, Volz HP, Müller WE, Eckert A, Hatzinger M. Effect of anxiolytic drug silexan on sleep – a narrative review. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2022 Sep;23(7):493-500. doi: 10.1080/15622975.2021.2013092. Epub 2022 Oct 19. PMID: 36259937.
Seifritz E, Schläfke S, Holsboer-Trachsler E. Beneficial effects of Silexan on sleep are mediated by its anxiolytic effect. J Psychiatr Res. 2019 Aug;115:69-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.04.013. Epub 2019 Apr 17. PMID: 31121394.
Woelk H, Schläfke S. A multi-center, double-blind, randomised study of the Lavender oil preparation Silexan in comparison to Lorazepam for generalized anxiety disorder. Phytomedicine. 2010 Feb;17(2):94-9. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2009.10.006. Epub 2009 Dec 3. PMID: 19962288.
Yap WS, Dolzhenko AV, Jalal Z, Hadi MA, Khan TM. Efficacy and safety of lavender essential oil (Silexan) capsules among patients suffering from anxiety disorders: A network meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2019 Dec 2;9(1):18042. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-54529-9. PMID: 31792285; PMCID: PMC6889391.
Mahonia spp. (Oregon grape/berberine)
Cheng R, Song A, Jiang J, Qiaolongbatu X, Wu Z, Qian F, Shen S, Zhang L, Wang Z, Zhao W, Lou Y. Berberine Alleviates Chronic Restraint Stress-Induced Depression-Like Behavior by Modulating Gut Microbiota and SCFA Production in Mice. Biotechnol Appl Biochem. 2025 Sep 2. doi: 10.1002/bab.70043. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40891178.
Cheng, Z., Kang, C., Che, S., Su, J., Sun, Q., Ge, T., … & Cui, R. (2022). Berberine: a promising treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Frontiers in pharmacology, 13, 845591.
Fan J, Zhang K, Jin Y, Li B, Gao S, Zhu J, Cui R. Pharmacological effects of berberine on mood disorders. J Cell Mol Med. 2019 Jan;23(1):21-28. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.13930. Epub 2018 Nov 18. PMID: 30450823.
Jiang W, Li S, Li X. Therapeutic potential of berberine against neurodegenerative diseases. Sci China Life Sci. 2015 Jun;58(6):564-9. doi: 10.1007/s11427-015-4829-0. Epub 2015 Mar 6. PMID: 25749423.
Ye Y, Liu X, Wu N, Han Y, Wang J, Yu Y, Chen Q. Efficacy and Safety of Berberine Alone for Several Metabolic Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Front Pharmacol. 2021 Apr 26;12:653887. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.653887. PMID: 33981233.
Melissa officinalis (lemon balm)
Araj-Khodaei M, Noorbala AA, Yarani R, Emadi F, Emaratkar E, Faghihzadeh S, Parsian Z, Alijaniha F, Kamalinejad M, Naseri M. A double-blind, randomized pilot study for comparison of Melissa officinalis L. and Lavandula angustifolia Mill. with Fluoxetine for the treatment of depression. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020 Jul 3;20(1):207. doi: 10.1186/s12906-020-03003-5. PMID: 32620104; PMCID: PMC7333290.
Cases J, Ibarra A, Feuillère N, Roller M, Sukkar SG. Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Med J Nutrition Metab. 2011 Dec;4(3):211-218. doi: 10.1007/s12349-010-0045-4. Epub 2010 Dec 17. PMID: 22207903; PMCID: PMC3230760.
Darvish-Mofrad-Kashani Z, Emaratkar E, Hashem-Dabaghian F, Emadi F, Raisi F, Aliasl J, Kamalinejad M, Hasheminejad SA, Eftekhar T, Zafarghandi N. Effect of Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) on Sexual Dysfunction in Women: A Double- blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study. Iran J Pharm Res. 2018 Winter;17(Suppl):89-100. PMID: 29796033; PMCID: PMC5958328.
Ghazizadeh J, Sadigh-Eteghad S, Marx W, Fakhari A, Hamedeyazdan S, Torbati M, Taheri-Tarighi S, Araj-Khodaei M, Mirghafourvand M. The effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) on depression and anxiety in clinical trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytother Res. 2021 Dec;35(12):6690-6705. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7252. Epub 2021 Aug 27. PMID: 34449930. (Abstract only.)
Haybar H, Javid AZ, Haghighizadeh MH, Valizadeh E, Mohaghegh SM, Mohammadzadeh A. The effects of Melissa officinalis supplementation on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorder in patients with chronic stable angina. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018 Aug;26:47-52. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.04.015. Epub 2018 May 19. PMID: 29908682.
Kennedy, David O., et al. “Anxiolytic effects of a combination of Melissa ofcinalis and Valeriana ofcinalis during laboratory induced stress.” Phytotherapy Research: An International Journal Devoted to Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluation of Natural Product Derivatives 20.2 (2006): 96-102.
Mathews IM, Eastwood J, Lamport DJ, Cozannet RL, Fanca-Berthon P, Williams CM. Clinical Efficacy and Tolerability of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.) in Psychological Well-Being: A Review. Nutrients. 2024 Oct 18;16(20):3545. doi: 10.3390/nu16203545. PMID: 39458539; PMCID: PMC11510126.
Zam W, Quispe C, Sharifi-Rad J, López MD, Schoebitz M, Martorell M, Sharopov F, Fokou PVT, Mishra AP, Chandran D, Kumar M, Chen JT, Pezzani R. An Updated Review on The Properties of Melissa officinalis L.: Not Exclusively Anti-anxiety. Front Biosci (Schol Ed). 2022 Jun 7;14(2):16. doi: 10.31083/j.fbs1402016. PMID: 35730441.
Paeonia lactiflora (peony)
Mao QQ, Ip SP, Ko KM, Tsai SH, Xian YF, Che CT. Effects of peony glycosides on mice exposed to chronic unpredictable stress: further evidence for antidepressant-like activity. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Jul 15;124(2):316-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.04.019. Epub 2009 Apr 16. PMID: 19375493.
Passiflora spp. (passionflower)
Medina JH, Paladini AC, Wolfman C, Levi de Stein M, Calvo D, Diaz LE, Peña C. Chrysin (5,7-di-OH-flavone), a naturally-occurring ligand for benzodiazepine receptors, with anticonvulsant properties. Biochem Pharmacol. 1990 Nov 15;40(10):2227-31. doi: 10.1016/0006-2952(90)90716-x. PMID: 2173925.
Ngan A, Conduit R. A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality. Phytother Res. 2011 Aug;25(8):1153-9. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3400. Epub 2011 Feb 3. PMID: 21294203.
Nojoumi M, Ghaeli P, Salimi S, Sharifi A, Raisi F. Effects of Passion Flower Extract, as an Add-On Treatment to Sertraline, on Reaction Time in Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study. Iran J Psychiatry. 2016 Jul;11(3):191-197. PMID: 27928252; PMCID: PMC5139955.
Wolfman C, Viola H, Paladini A, Dajas F, Medina JH. Possible anxiolytic effects of chrysin, a central benzodiazepine receptor ligand isolated from Passiflora coerulea. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1994 Jan;47(1):1-4. doi: 10.1016/0091-3057(94)90103-1. PMID: 7906886.
Rhodiola rosea (arctic/rose root)
Darbinyan V, Aslanyan G, Amroyan E, Gabrielyan E, Malmström C, Panossian A. Clinical trial of Rhodiola rosea L. extract SHR-5 in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. Nord J Psychiatry. 2007;61(5):343-8. doi: 10.1080/08039480701643290. Erratum in: Nord J Psychiatry. 2007;61(6):503. PMID: 17990195.
Mao JJ, Xie SX, Zee J, Soeller I, Li QS, Rockwell K, Amsterdam JD. Rhodiola rosea versus sertraline for major depressive disorder: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2015 Mar 15;22(3):394-9. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2015.01.010. Epub 2015 Feb 23. PMID: 25837277; PMCID: PMC4385215.
Tilia spp. (linden, basswood)
Aguirre-Hernández E, Martínez AL, González-Trujano ME, Moreno J, Vibrans H, Soto-Hernández M. Pharmacological evaluation of the anxiolytic and sedative effects of Tilia americana L. var. mexicana in mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Jan 3;109(1):140-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2006.07.017. Epub 2006 Jul 21. PMID: 16930893.
Allio A, Calorio C, Franchino C, Gavello D, Carbone E, Marcantoni A. Bud extracts from Tilia tomentosa Moench inhibit hippocampal neuronal firing through GABAA and benzodiazepine receptors activation. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Aug 22;172:288-96. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.06.016. Epub 2015 Jul 2. PMID: 26144285.
Cárdenas-Rodríguez N, González-Trujano ME, Aguirre-Hernández E, Ruíz-García M, Sampieri A 3rd, Coballase-Urrutia E, Carmona-Aparicio L. Anticonvulsant and antioxidant effects of Tilia americana var. mexicana and flavonoids constituents in the pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2014;2014:329172. doi: 10.1155/2014/329172. Epub 2014 Aug 13. PMID: 25197430; PMCID: PMC4147264.
De Simone M, De Feo R, Choucha A, Ciaglia E, Fezeu F. Enhancing Sleep Quality: Assessing the Efficacy of a Fixed Combination of Linden, Hawthorn, Vitamin B1, and Melatonin. Med Sci (Basel). 2023 Dec 28;12(1):2. doi: 10.3390/medsci12010002. PMID: 38249078; PMCID: PMC10801487.
Herrera-Ruiz M, Román-Ramos R, Zamilpa A, Tortoriello J, Jiménez-Ferrer JE. Flavonoids from Tilia americana with anxiolytic activity in plus-maze test. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008 Jul 23;118(2):312-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.04.019. Epub 2008 Apr 24. PMID: 18539420.
Pérez-Ortega, G., et al. “Sedative and anxiolytic efficacy of Tilia americana var. mexicana inflorescences used traditionally by communities of State of Michoacan, Mexico.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology 116.3 (2008): 461-468.
Viola H, Wolfman C, Levi de Stein M, Wasowski C, Peña C, Medina JH, Paladini AC. Isolation of pharmacologically active benzodiazepine receptor ligands from Tilia tomentosa (Tiliaceae). J Ethnopharmacol. 1994 Aug;44(1):47-53. doi: 10.1016/0378-8741(94)90098-1. PMID: 7990504. (Abstract.)
Theobroma cacao (chocolate)
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Jalil AM, Ismail A. Polyphenols in cocoa and cocoa products: is there a link between antioxidant properties and health? Molecules. 2008 Sep 16;13(9):2190-219. doi: 10.3390/molecules13092190. PMID: 18830150; PMCID: PMC6245372.
Nehlig A. The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013 Mar;75(3):716-27. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04378.x. PMID: 22775434; PMCID: PMC3575938.
Pase MP, Scholey AB, Pipingas A, Kras M, Nolidin K, Gibbs A, Wesnes K, Stough C. Cocoa polyphenols enhance positive mood states but not cognitive performance: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Psychopharmacol. 2013 May;27(5):451-8. doi: 10.1177/0269881112473791. Epub 2013 Jan 29. PMID: 23364814.
Rose N, Koperski S, Golomb BA. Mood food: chocolate and depressive symptoms in a cross-sectional analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2010 Apr 26;170(8):699-703. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.78. PMID: 20421555; PMCID: PMC4285457.
Shin, Ji-Hee, et al. “Consumption of 85% cocoa dark chocolate improves mood in association with gut microbial changes in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial.” The Journal of nutritional biochemistry 99 (2022): 108854.
Zingiber officinale (ginger)
Anh NH, Kim SJ, Long NP, Min JE, Yoon YC, Lee EG, Kim M, Kim TJ, Yang YY, Son EY, Yoon SJ, Diem NC, Kim HM, Kwon SW. Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2020 Jan 6;12(1):157. doi: 10.3390/nu12010157. PMID: 31935866; PMCID: PMC7019938.
Crichton M, Marshall S, Marx W, Isenring E, Lohning A. Therapeutic health effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale): updated narrative review exploring the mechanisms of action. Nutr Rev. 2023 Aug 10;81(9):1213-1224. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuac115. PMID: 36688554.
Kongsui R, Sriraksa N, Thongrong S. The Neuroprotective Effect of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. Extract on LPS-Induced Neuronal Cell Loss and Astroglial Activation within the Hippocampus. Biomed Res Int. 2020 May 25;2020:4259316. doi: 10.1155/2020/4259316. PMID: 32596307; PMCID: PMC7273477.
Moorkoth S, Prathyusha NS, Manandhar S, Xue Y, Sankhe R, Pai KSR, Kumar N. Antidepressant-like effect of dehydrozingerone from Zingiber officinale by elevating monoamines in brain: in silico and in vivo studies. Pharmacol Rep. 2021 Oct;73(5):1273-1286. doi: 10.1007/s43440-021-00252-0. Epub 2021 Jun 28. PMID: 34181212; PMCID: PMC8460585.
Saenghong N, Wattanathorn J, Muchimapura S, Tongun T, Piyavhatkul N, Banchonglikitkul C, Kajsongkram T. Zingiber officinale Improves Cognitive Function of the Middle-Aged Healthy Women. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:383062. doi: 10.1155/2012/383062. Epub 2011 Dec 22. PMID: 22235230; PMCID: PMC3253463.
Ziziphys jujuba (Jujube)
Chen, Jianping et al. “A Review of Dietary Ziziphus jujuba Fruit (Jujube): Developing Health Food Supplements for Brain Protection.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 2017 (2017): 3019568. doi:10.1155/2017/3019568
Parastouei, Karim et al. “The effects of jujube (Ziziphus jujube) on metabolic and mental health outcomes in patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.” Complementary therapies in medicine vol. 82 (2024): 103041. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2024.103041
Zhu, Deqi et al. “A Literature Review of the Pharmacological Effects of Jujube.” Foods (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 13,2 193. 6 Jan. 2024, doi:10.3390/foods13020193