Monthly Archives: April 2021

Lamiophlomis rotata (Kudo): Anxiolytic Herb?

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Robert Barrington

Lamiophlomis rotata is a Tibetan herb that is sometimes commonly called Kudo. The herb is traditionally used to treat pain which suggests that it may have activity on the central nervous system. The active ingredients in Lamiophlomis rotata are iridoid … Continue reading →

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Borage as a Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Robert Barrington

Borage (Borago offininalis) also called starflower, is a plant that belongs to the Boraginaceae family of plants. Borage has been shown to have a number of health effects in humans and animals, and may have potential as a treatment for … Continue reading →

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The Association Between Zinc Intake and Depression

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Robert Barrington

A number of studies have demonstrated that zinc supplements are effective at treating mood disorders. This may suggest that a zinc deficient state is one of the possible causes of low mood. This may relate to the fact that zinc … Continue reading →

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Oxidative Stress Hypothesis

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Robert Barrington

One hypothesis suggests that the development of post traumatic stress disorder is due to the presence of chronic stress. This stress likely causes high levels of circulating stress hormones and the development of inflammation. It has been suggested that the … Continue reading →

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Antioxidants

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Robert Barrington

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a form of anxiety. The aetiology of obsessive compulsive disorder is not fully understood, but it is clear that it shares similarities with that of anxiety. In fact, obsessive compulsive disorder may be anxiety, and the … Continue reading →

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What Is the Cause of Age-Related Greying of Hair?

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Robert Barrington

Premature greying of the hair is the loss of pigment within hair follicles that occurs during normal ageing. Human hair contains black to brown eumelanin and reddish-brown pheomelanin pigments. The ratio of these pigments defines the colour of the hair. … Continue reading →

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Valerenic acid: Anxiolytic Phytochemical?

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Robert Barrington

Valerenic acid is a phytochemical found in the root of the valerian plant (Valeriana officianalis). Valerian is a popular and traditional treatment for anxiety, and valerenic acid may be the phytochemical (or one of them) responsible for this. Experiments using … Continue reading →

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Aralia continentalis for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Robert Barrington

Aralia continentalis is a flowering woody plant from the Araliaceae family of plants. The plant grows native to Korea where it is referred to as Dokwal. Extracts of the plant are used to relieve pain, and this may relate to … Continue reading →

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Crocins from (Crocus sativus): Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Posted on April 20, 2021 by Robert Barrington

Saffron contains some nutritionally interesting phytochemicals including crocins, picrocrocin and safranal. Both saffrinal (a monoterpene aldehyde) and picrocrocin (a glycoside of safranal) are degradation products of the carotenoid zeaxanthin (picrocrocin being an intermediate and saffron being an end product of … Continue reading →

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Why Are Herbs Useful in the Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Posted on April 19, 2021 by Robert Barrington

A number of herbs have been shown to have beneficial effects against post traumatic stress disorder. One reason for this is that post traumatic stress disorder is associated with inflammation, and many herbs have anti-inflammatory effects. For example, one study … Continue reading →

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