Phyto-anxiolytic effects of a fixed herbal drug combination for the relief of stress and its potential to reduce benzodiazepine use

Stress affects already young healthy people and many elderly or patients with psychiatric disorders receive benzodiazepines. A recent study has shown that the phyto-anxiolytic herbal extract combination Ze 185 (Relaxane®) significantly reduced the subjective stress reaction in healthy men in an acute stress setting. Further, in a retrospective data analysis from stationary patients in a psychiatric hospital in Switzerland it was concluded that the use of benzodiazepines could be reduced under the treatment with Ze 185. As an example in evidence-based phytotherapy Ze 185 is discussed in the context of stress and anxiety-related disorders.