Jump to content
The Corroboree
gtarman

Potent sedative plants...

Recommended Posts

Hey all.

Looking for suggestions beyond the ordinary for plants with strong sedating properties. I've tried many in some form or other...kava (tablets), valerian (capsules), passionflower (tea), damiana (smoke, tea), skullcap (smoke, tea), chamomile (tea), lionstail (smoke) etc.

All-in-all I've been a bit underwhelmed, and could describe them as very "herbal", rather than "medical" if that makes sense.

I need something strong on hand to manage various ills, that can chill me right out or even knock me out if needed, and so far I don't know of anything that will do that, that's legal to grow and use.

I've been prescribed Valium in the past, but doctors don't seem to like prescribing benzodiazepines, and certainly not as an ongoing thing. But I guess diazepam would be my benchmark so far as something that actually works.

Interested to hear if there's anything else that you'd recommend checking out :)

Peace

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fresh hops.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

^^ apparently hops has phytoestrogens coming out the wazoo though

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i would also like to know this.. um kava raw shredded root from happy high co is not bad but fuken dear! u have to prep it ya self alsoo. lotus extract/resin same source , 5 grams of resin 4 25 coin i think :scratchhead: i smash the whole lot dissolved in a lil hot water so again not good on the pocket but it works......lionstail is bulshit, maypop yeah??? . tring yan hu suo roots now ...

oyeah tried wild lettuce extract 50;1 it worked a lil but it gave me the shits :wacko:

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Try to learn and practice meditation every day, when you can control your mind it's better and you can do more fascinating things rather than being knocked off. Anyways, if you don't want to try it, they say that a little tip of a mandrake root should do the work.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Stronger sedatives/hypnotics arent much my thing, but from my readings you might want to investigate Corydalis spp. (like C. yanhusuo sold at chinese medicine shops) and Erythrina spp. (like E. mulungu or the native aussie ones), both are also pain killers. I've seen folks here growing and using both.

tst also found that a precipitate formed in Heimia processing, if taken in isolation, is a hypnotic sedative he described as being like a sleeping pill in nature with little other effect.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

^ Was just reading through some of tst's old posts today, lots of knowledge to be found there.

I've also found in the past that a tiny dot of mandrake is enough to take the edge off and get you past the initial difficult stage in getting to sleep.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Try some ZONK from SAB if you want a prepared mix, that will knock you out.


+1 for Corydalis and Lotus they both work well.

Have you tried amino acids like gaba or its analogues?

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Mix dānshēn (Salvia miltiorrhiza) with Corydalis turtschaninovii. Exercise at least once every 3 days. You might benefit from Milkvetch root (Astralagus membranaceus), Codonopsis pilosula (Dangshen), Rehmannia glutinosa (Sheng Di huang), Ganoderma sp. (Ling zhi), Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) and add Glycyrrhiza uralensis (licorice root) to sweeten. I just simmer this for 2 - 3 hours, strain, repeat, combine both lots of tea then reduce to whatever strength you want. This combo really helps me sleep and work. Seems to help everyone I give a few cups worth too. For girls just throw in some Angelica sinensis as this plant just about completely stops PMS symptoms.

As I stated in another post Corydalis combined with Rhodiola rosea/St John's Wort makes one happy and content. Rhodiola seems to potentate Corydalis noticeably.

The reason I suggest using the mixture of tonics is that I had trouble sleeping in the past and found that when using sedatives of any kind it was good only for the short term. Tolerance and addiction to sedatives is possible. Using tonics seem to calm the mind and allow for natural sleep.

Edited by Leaves
  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'd say to try the valerian & kava again, but find some plant material and prepare it yourself. I've found most of the pills and extracts to be overpriced and ineffective. I think I might respond particularly strongly to valerian, but I find a cup of tea (made from 1-2tsp of ground dried root) to be equivalent to about 5mg or so of valium.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Funny you say that Anodyne about Valerian because I once grew this and tried up to 50 grams and had nil effect, but just 2 grams of Hops knocks me out but this comes with a depressive mood the next day or two for me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Valerian definitely has a measurable effect...and seems to act on a similar mechanism to benzodiazepines, but in a much milder way. The only thing I will add to that is that if you're drinking alcohol, consider them equivalent to the benzodiazepines, as it is quite dangerous to mix. I ended up in hospital one time after taking double the recommended doses of kava and valerian and then getting drunk.

The jury is out on whether or not I would have been okay if left to my own devices - when I woke up in the ER, I thought that I'd just passed out and the people I was with had over-reacted...but the paramedics seemed to think that I was definitely on something besides alcohol, and that I was pretty fucked up. But I certainly won't be taking that chance again.

EDIT: I wasn't just trying to get messed up or anything...I had to go to a party and I was having a bit of a freakout anxiety-wise. Still, not smart.

Edited by gtarman
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@ gman hahaha sorry thats standard isnt it lol kava and a lil brooze is perfect :innocent_n:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

argemone mexicana, but watch out it's spooky...

it's like a datura version of poppy, ohh yeahh.

Edited by planthelper
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How much planthelper? Mexican poppy is out of control around here but I never noticed anything off it (made a tea from a whole non-flowering plant). Dosage recommendation?

edit - Pulled up 5 mexican poppies and put in juicer & drank resulting juice. Nausea for 30min then sedation followed by mild euphoria for 5-6 hours.

Edited by Leaves
  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've been thinking of trying that PH since I saw it on the SAB webstore...although they do say to watch out for the seeds, which are very toxic apparently. I think they said that an extract of it is similar to regular poppies sedation-wise, but I've never really done any extracts of anything so wouldn't know what to do, and I'm not sure if a tea would be potent enough?

Andy: I thought about Zonk, but it seemed prohibitively expensive at $35 per 18 caps - in comparison generic diazepam can be had for around $6 for a bottle of 50 if you have the script for it. That and it's got hops in it, which again, I'm leery of due to their extraordinary phyto-estrogen content.

Only neuro-supps I've tried are Lysine and Tryptophan, but I don't recall either having any major impacts...

Edited by gtarman
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Gman not herbal but if I have to get up at an unusual hour and need to get to sleep early I just take 1/2 of a Avil (pheniramine maleate) tablet. Over the counter anti-histamine. Cheap and non-addictive. Feels similar to 3 thorn apple seeds.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

^^ yeah, I take doxylamine sometimes (marketed as Restavit in Oz) which AFAIK is the most potent hypnotic available OTC, being on par with certain barbiturates in some studies (and also a first gen anti-histamine), with..Benadryl (?) coming second I think. Which usually helps put me down if I take enough of it, though the next day can be a bit groggy.

Mostly looking for something that's gonna chill me out rather than put me to sleep though, which I think is harder to come by.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Rest-a-vit isn't as nice as Avil. I can feel a stronger anti-anxiety effect from Avil and $8=50tablets - from wikipedia - Although not generally approved as an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication, chlorphenamine appears to have these properties as well..

Yellow horned poppy (Glaucium flavum). I find it relaxing but I don't know how to make my plants set seed. Flowers finish after that I can't find any seeds. Nice plant. Strong chamomile tea I find that is the closest to benzo's out of all the plants I've tried but I need about 3 heaped tablespoons, it's a good one to combine with some other sedative plants.

Edited by Leaves

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree with those posters who suggest that approach goes a long way: Western culture is so weaned on the notion of a right to a paradise of it's own imagination that it's medicines are inclined towards overwhelming the person. Some of the plants mentioned in the original post have been very effective for me, such as chamomile flowers. One of the best (and creatively inspiring as well) is the Passiflora, but as suggested, the prepared form (tea/pill) was a nonplusser. I ingested the fruit of the edulis flava form prepared as a tea to separate the pulp from the seed. Amazing. As one of the harmala groups it is important, despite the constantly offended no-one's-going-to-tell-me protestant social grammar, to be mindful of your experiential reaction to diet and light. Some find caapi (solo) to be similarly effective.

the truth is no path ~ Krishnamurti

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, caapi could be effective but be careful of bad combinations with Banisteriopsis or you'll be dead in 10 hours.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A nice warm bath with some ylang ylang, lavender & chamomile essential oil is very relaxing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi all, wow, Avil's are still available? i thought they were removed from the shelves years ago...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just ask for 'em, behind the counter but no prescription required :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Monotropa uniflora is listed by Snu as an opium substitute with no negative side effects. 2-4g of roots are generally ingested. Apparently rare in the US but if you can find seeds it would be a great one to try

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×