Below we have compiled relevant information reprinted from the National Institute of Health on Rhodiola, Chamomile, Lavender, Valerian, St. John’s Wart, Turmeric, 

 

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/rhodiola

 

Rhodiola

Common Names: arctic root, golden root, rose root, king’s crown

Latin Names: Rhodiola rosea

Background

• Rhodiola grows in cold regions and at high altitudes in Europe and Asia.
• Rhodiola has a long history of medicinal use in Russia, Scandinavia, and other parts of Europe. Traditionally, it was used to attempt to increase endurance, work performance, and tolerance of high altitudes and to treat fatigue, weakness, and other symptoms.
• Today, rhodiola is promoted to increase energy, stamina, strength, and mental capacity, improve athletic performance, resist the effects of stress, and help manage depression, anxiety, and other symptoms.

What Do We Know About Safety?

• Rhodiola has been used safely in studies lasting 6 to 12 weeks. Possible side effects include dizziness and either dry mouth or excessive saliva production.
• Little is known about whether it’s safe to use rhodiola during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/chamomile

What Do We Know About Safety?

• Chamomile is likely safe when used in amounts commonly found in teas. It might be safe when used orally for medicinal purposes over the short term. The long-term safety of using chamomile on the skin for medicinal purposes is unknown.
• Side effects are uncommon and may include nausea, dizziness, and allergic reactions. Rare cases of anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction) have occurred in people who consumed or came into contact with chamomile products.
• People are more likely to experience allergic reactions to chamomile if they’re allergic to related plants such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies.
• Interactions between chamomile and cyclosporine (a drug used to prevent rejection of organ transplants) and warfarin (a blood thinner) have been reported, and there are theoretical reasons to suspect that chamomile might interact with other drugs as well. Talk to your health care provider before taking chamomile if you’re taking any type of medicine.
• Little is known about whether it’s safe to use chamomile during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. 

 

Background

• There are two types of chamomile: German chamomile and Roman chamomile. This fact sheet focuses on German chamomile.
• Chamomile was described in ancient medical writings and was an important medicinal herb in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
• Today, chamomile is promoted for sleeplessness, anxiety, and gastrointestinal conditions such as upset stomach, gas, and diarrhea. It is also used topically for skin conditions and for mouth sores resulting from cancer treatment.

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ginkgo

Ginkgo, one of the oldest living tree species in the world, has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine. Members of the royal court were given ginkgo nuts for senility. Other historical uses for ginkgo were for asthma, bronchitis, and kidney and bladder disorders.

Today, the extract from ginkgo leaves is promoted as a dietary supplement for many conditions, including anxiety, allergies, dementia, eye problems, peripheral artery disease (when buildup of plaque narrows the blood vessels that carry blood to the head, organs, and limbs), tinnitus, and other health problems.

 

What Do We Know About Safety?

• For most people, ginkgo leaf extract appears to be safe when taken by mouth in moderate amounts.
• Side effects of ginkgo may include headache, stomach upset, dizziness, palpitations, constipation, and allergic skin reactions. If you have a known bleeding risk, you should be cautious about ginkgo possibly increasing your risk of bleeding.
• In a 2013 research study, rodents given ginkgo leaf extract had an increased risk of developing liver and thyroid cancer at the end of the 2-year tests. Whether these results apply to humans is unclear.
• Ginkgo may interact with some conventional medications, including anticoagulants (blood thinners), research reviews show.
• Ginkgo taken orally may be unsafe during pregnancy. It might cause early labor or extra bleeding during delivery if used near that time. Little is known about whether it’s safe to use ginkgo while breastfeeding.
• Fresh (raw) or roasted ginkgo seeds and the unprocessed ginkgo leaves can contain dangerous amounts of a toxic substance.

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/lavender

Background

• Lavender is native to countries in the Mediterranean region, including France, Spain, and Italy.
• The name lavender comes from the Latin verb “lavare,” meaning “to wash.” In ancient Rome, lavender was used as a bath additive.
• Lavender is used to flavor foods and beverages and as a fragrance ingredient in soaps and cosmetics. It is promoted as a dietary supplement for anxiety, depression, digestive symptoms, and other conditions. It is also promoted for topical use (application to the skin) and use in aromatherapy.

What Do We Know About Safety?

• Consumption of lavender in the amounts typically used in foods is likely to be safe. Short-term oral use in the amounts tested in studies of lavender for anxiety or other conditions may also be safe.
• The topical use of products containing lavender may cause allergic skin reactions in some people.
• A few cases of swelling of breast tissue have been reported in children who used topical products containing lavender. However, it’s unclear whether the lavender was responsible for the breast swelling, a condition that can have many causes.
• Little is known about whether it’s safe to use lavender during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
• One meta-analysis found 10% of people who consume lavender experience minor nausea (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-54529-9)
•  One meta-analysis found 3% increase in risk of gastrointestinal problems compared to those in the placebo group. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-54529-9)

 

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/st-johns-wort

Background

• St. John’s wort is a plant with yellow flowers that has been used in traditional European medicine as far back as the ancient Greeks. The name St. John’s wort apparently refers to John the Baptist, as the plant blooms around the time of the feast of St. John the Baptist in late June.
• Historically, St. John’s wort has been used for a variety of conditions, including kidney and lung ailments, insomnia, and depression, and to aid wound healing.
• Currently, St. John’s wort is promoted for depression, menopausal symptoms, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), somatic symptom disorder (a condition in which a person feels extreme, exaggerated anxiety about physical symptoms), obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other conditions. Topical use (applied to the skin) of St. John’s wort is promoted for various skin conditions, including wounds, bruises, and muscle pain.

What Do We Know About Safety?

• In research studies, taking St. John’s wort by mouth for up to 12 weeks has seemed to be safe. But because St. John’s wort interacts with many drugs, it might not be safe for many people, especially those who take conventional medicines.
• St. John’s wort can weaken the effects of many medicines, including crucially important medicines such as
  • Antidepressants
  • Birth control pills
  • Cyclosporine, which prevents the body from rejecting transplanted organs
  • Some heart medications, including digoxin and ivabradine
  • Some HIV drugs, including indinavir and nevirapine
  • Some cancer medications, including irinotecan and imatinib
  • Warfarin, an anticoagulant (blood thinner)
  • Certain statins, including simvastatin.
• Taking St. John’s wort with certain antidepressants or other drugs that affect serotonin, a substance produced by nerve cells, may lead to increased serotonin-related side effects, which may be potentially serious.
• St. John’s wort may cause increased sensitivity to sunlight, especially when taken in large doses. Other side effects can include insomnia, anxiety, dry mouth, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, headache, or sexual dysfunction.
• There isn’t enough reliable information available to know if St. John’s wort is safe when it’s used topically. It may cause severe skin reactions to sun exposure.
• It may not be safe to use St. John’s wort during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. It has caused birth defects in laboratory animals. Breastfeeding infants of mothers who take St. John’s wort can experience colic, drowsiness, and fussiness.

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/stress

Stress is a physical and emotional reaction that people experience as they encounter changes in life. Stress is a normal feeling. However, long-term stress may contribute to or worsen a range of health problems including digestive disorders, headaches, sleep disorders, and other symptoms. Stress may worsen asthma and has been linked to depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.

• Some people use relaxation techniques (also called relaxation response techniques) to release tension and to counteract the ill effects of stress. Relaxation techniques often combine breathing and focused attention on pleasing thoughts and images to calm the mind and the body. Some examples of relaxation response techniques are autogenic training, biofeedback, deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, and self-hypnosis.
• The scientific evidence suggests that mindfulness meditation—a practice that cultivates abilities to maintain focused and clear attention and develop increased awareness of the present—may help reduce symptoms of stress, including anxiety and depression.
• Some but not all studies of yoga for stress management have shown improvements in physical or psychological measures related to stress.

Background

• Turmeric, a plant in the ginger family, is native to Southeast Asia and is grown commercially in that region, primarily in India. Its rhizome (underground stem) is used as a culinary spice and traditional medicine.
• Historically, turmeric was used in Ayurveda and other traditional Indian medical systems, as well as Eastern Asian medical systems such as traditional Chinese medicine. In India, it was traditionally used for disorders of the skin, upper respiratory tract, joints, and digestive system.
• Today, turmeric is promoted as a dietary supplement for a variety of conditions, including arthritis, digestive disorders, respiratory infections, allergies, liver disease, depression, and many others.
• Turmeric is a common spice and a major ingredient in curry powder. Curcumin is a major component of turmeric, and the activities of turmeric are commonly attributed to curcuminoids (curcumin and closely related substances). Curcumin gives turmeric its yellow color.
• Turmeric dietary supplements are made from the dried rhizome and typically contain a mixture of curcuminoids. Turmeric is also made into a paste for skin conditions.

What Do We Know About Safety?

• Turmeric and conventionally formulated curcumin products are probably safe when taken orally or applied to the skin in the recommended amounts.
• Efforts have been made to develop curcumin products with increased bioavailability, and many modified products are already on the market. Improving bioavailability might lead to increases in harmful effects as well as desirable ones.
• Turmeric may be unsafe for use during pregnancy in amounts greater than those commonly found in food. Little is known about whether it’s safe to use turmeric in amounts greater than those commonly found in food while breastfeeding.
• https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/valerian

Background

• Valerian is a plant native to Europe and Asia; it also grows in North America.
• Valerian has been used medicinally since the times of early Greece and Rome. Historically, valerian was used to treat insomnia, migraine, fatigue, and stomach cramps.
• Today, valerian is promoted for insomnia, anxiety, depression, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menopause symptoms, and headaches.
• The roots and rhizomes (underground stems) of valerian are used for medicinal purposes.

What Do We Know About Safety?

• Research suggests that valerian is generally safe for short-term use by most adults. It has been used with apparent safety in studies lasting up to 28 days. The safety of long-term use of valerian is unknown.
• Little is known about whether it’s safe to use valerian during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. 
• Side effects of valerian include headache, stomach upset, mental dullness, excitability, uneasiness, heart disturbances, and even insomnia in some people. A few people feel drowsy in the morning after taking valerian, especially at higher doses. Some people experience dry mouth or vivid dreams.
• Because it is possible (though not proven) that valerian might have a sleep-inducing effect, it should not be taken along with alcohol or sedatives.