Good old chamomile. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology that evaluated chamomile for the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), the investigators report a “significantly greater reduction in mean total HAM-A score during chamomile versus placebo therapy.” (HAM-A = Hamilton Anxiety Rating) They also noted improvement in secondary outcomes including the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Psychological Well Being, and Clinical Global Impression Severity scores. Their conclusion: “This is the first controlled clinical trial of chamomile extract for GAD. The results suggest that chamomile may have modest anxiolytic activity in patients with mild to moderate GAD.”

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