Motherwort

Active constituents. Motherwort contains alkaloids (notably leonurine), iridoids, flavonoids and volatile oils. These compounds are proposed to produce nervine (calming), antispasmodic and mild sedative/cardiac-tonic effects that could reduce the physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety. Medscape Reference

Possible pharmacology / mechanisms. Preclinical work and reviews suggest multiple mechanisms that could explain anxiolytic effects: modulation of central nervous system activity (sedative/nervine action), anti-adrenergic/cardiac calming effects (reducing palpitations and sympathetic overactivity), and actions of specific compounds like leonurine that show neuro-cardio protective and central effects in animal studies. These mechanisms are discussed in phytochemistry/pharmacology reviews. Medscape Reference

Preclinical (animal) evidence. Multiple animal studies report anxiolytic-like behaviours with motherwort extracts (e.g., more exploration in open-field/maze tests and reduced stress behaviours). These are the primary scientific support prior to human work. Medscape Reference

Common forms people use

• Tea (infusion) — made from the aerial parts (dried herb).
• Typical preparation and dose cited by European herbal monographs: 150–200 mL boiling water poured over ~2–4 g (commonly 4.5 g is quoted) of dried herb, strain after ~10 minutes; 1 cup 1–3 times daily (total daily dose commonly 3–10 g of herb). Herbal Plants Lexicon
• Fluid extract / tincture — common pharmacopoeial preparations exist (e.g., 1:1 or 1:5 extracts in specified ethanol concentrations). Typical practical dosing reported in herbal monographs and clinic/retailer guidance: tincture 2–6 mL (or ~40–100 drops) 2–3 times daily or 1/2–3/4 teaspoon (2–4 mL) 2–3 times daily depending on formulation. Follow the product label because concentration varies. NH Passist
• Capsules / extracts — standardized extracts and capsules are sold; follow manufacturer dosing (typical ranges reported are 500–1000 mg once or twice daily depending on product). NeuroLaunch.com

How to use for anxiety (practical guidance)

• Start low and go slow. Begin with a low dose (e.g., one cup of weak tea or a low tincture dose) and increase if needed and tolerated. Because products vary in concentration, follow the specific product directions or a herbalist’s recommendation. European Medicines Agency (EMA)
• Duration & expectations. Traditional and small clinical observations used courses of days–weeks; some clinical observations reported effects after a few weeks (e.g., 28-day pilot study). Expect at least several days to weeks to evaluate effect. ResearchGate
• Form selection. Tinctures act faster and are easier to standardize for dosing; teas are mild and good for daily gentle use. Capsules/extracts can be more convenient for reproducible dosing. NH Passist

Key reviews and clinical observations

• Phytotherapy Research review (Wojtyniak et al., 2013) — a modern, widely-cited review of motherwort’s phytochemistry and pharmacology summarizing the plant’s constituents, preclinical anxiolytic/sedative findings and clinical observations. This is a central reference for both mechanisms and what human data exist. Medscape Reference
• Pilot clinical observation of an oil extract (Shikov et al. / related clinical report). A small clinical study (reported in summaries and conference/pilot reports) gave a motherwort oil extract to about 50 patients with hypertension accompanied by anxiety and sleep disorders for 28 days; authors reported that ~32% had a significant improvement in anxiety/depression symptoms and ~48% a moderate improvement. This is a small, non-large randomized trial and should be interpreted cautiously, but it’s the most frequently cited human study for anxiety symptoms. ResearchGate
• Other clinical notes / observational data. There are various clinical observations, small studies and traditional-use reports (including Chinese medicine preparations and postpartum uses) but high-quality double-blind randomized controlled trials for generalized anxiety disorder in humans remain limited or absent as of the latest literature summaries. An active registered trial to evaluate Leonurus cardiaca in generalized anxiety disorder is listed (clinical trial registry entry), indicating ongoing research. ICHGCP

Summary of evidence

• The available human evidence is mainly small, open or observational studies and not enough to claim definitive proof of efficacy in GAD compared with established anxiolytics. Animal and mechanistic data are stronger but still preclinical. More and larger RCTs are needed. Medscape Reference