November 20, 1999
Benzodiazepines are a class of prescription drugs called sedative/hypnotics. They are addictive and include drugs such as a Valium, Restoril, Ativan, Xanax, and others. A researcher who has treated over 500 patients for benzodiazepine withdrawal has found German chamomile, and many other herbs, to be useful in alleviating withdrawal symptoms. These include relief of anxiety, insomnia, and irritability.
By using herbs that act as sedatives, patients in this study have been able to avoid using methadone and other addictive drugs to ease the withdrawal process. The journal reference is: Rasmussen, P. (1997). A role for phytotherapy in the treatment of benzodiazepine and opiate drug withdrawal (Part 1). The European Journal of Herbal Medicine, 3(1): 11-21.
In other research, German chamomile has been shown to bind with similar receptors as benzodiazepines, mimicking their effects to some extent. See German chamomile references.
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