Kava and valerian found ineffective

SAN FRANCISCO, July 22 (UPI) -- University of California-San Francisco researchers found the herbal remedies kava and valerian were no more effective than a placebo.

Dr. Bradly P. Jacobs performed an Internet trial to evaluate the effectiveness of kava, commonly used for anxiety, and valerian, commonly used for used for insomnia. Potential subjects who reported anxiety and insomnia were recruited through e-mail and Web sites.

The final study included 391 participants from 45 states.

By mail, one group of patients received kava plus an inactive valerian-placebo and one group received valerian plus a kava-placebo; a third group received double placebos.

After four weeks of treatment, subjects used a secure Web site to complete follow-up questionnaires.

The herbal extracts were no more effective than placebos in reducing the symptoms they were intended to treat, according to the study published in Medicine.