california poppy

Part used: whole plant, herb, root

Pharmacology: protien kinase C inhibitor (anti tumor, neruopathic pain control)

Skullcap

-historically was used for rabies treatment.

-great for addiction treatment (mix with milky oat seed)

contituents: flavonoid glycosides

Medicinal use: anxiety with muscle tension, restlessness, and insomnia (mix with melissa, lemonbalm) and ADHD

sour jujube, sour date seed

Medicinal use: sleep aid (used in fibromyalgia patients); can prolong sleep not induce

passionflower

Identified constituents: cyanide glycosides

Medical uses: spasmolytic, sedative, and anodyne (pain relief)

Toxicity: potentially toxic d/t build up of alkaliods in the nerve and muscle

Valerian Root

Pharmacology: gaba receptor agonist; some people may have a stimulatory effect (very rare; reaction to the valepotriates)

Medicinal actions: carminative (and mild bitter)

Medicinal uses: sedative; non addictive (replaces benzodiaepines), restlessness and insomnia aggrivated by anxiety.

Kava

constituents: kava lactones, kavain, dihydrokavain (kavain in high amounts can cause liver failure; uses up glutathione similar to tylenol)

Medical uses: sedation of the CNS. euphoric well-being (small doses), extreme relaxation, lethargy and induction of sleep (frequent small doses or large doses), muscle relaxation and spasmolytic effets on skeletal and smooth muscle. **Does not interact with GABA receptors, local anesthetic/analgesic, historical use for UTIs and BPH, interstitial cystitis

Toxicity: if using long term use liver function testing.

nutmeg

high amounts of nutmeg is sedative to the level of hallucinations