This is a natural anxiolytic herb of the mint family, native to the New World, the latin name is "Scutellaria laterifolia". I have not tried it myself so normally I would not write about it, but yesterday after posting my post Anxiety remedies that work part 1: Lavendel I saw that @mountainjewel had a similar idea about making a series on anti-anxiety herbs.

Initially I thought, hmm thats a bit odd... Similar idea on natural anxiolytics, posted right after I posted mine... But then I read her post:
#ihaveanxietytoo Challenge & Skullcap for Herbal Anxiety Support Share a Natural Remedy

@mountainjewel is actually a full-blown herbalist who makes her own tinctures and everything and her post on Scullcap was very detailed and most impressive! She is proposing that we use a hashtag #ihaveanxietytoo for these types of posts, and I loved that idea since I am a bit lost in the world of "tags" here on steemit.

Image source: Wikipedia. Photo: Rolf Engstrand

Remember we are all in this battle against anxiety together!

Im going to let @mountainjewel "speak" here and link back to her article:

For me, I feel the effects of skullcap nearly immediately. It has a gentle (which I prefer) connection with the nervous system, that at-times flighty bird that can beat your heart out of your chest. I find skullcap alleviates my physical symptoms of anxiety by calming me and reminding me to breathe (much like I experienced a CBD oil I tried recently) and at this point, I can be more aware of the experience of anxiety and not so caught up in it. Herbal supports are just that- supports- and not the answer. You are the answer and these are our allies in supporting us to touch base with ourselves.

When I am in an agitated state or just want to calm down, a couple dropperfulls of skullcap tincture works like a charm.

In fact, this "anxiolytic activity" (fancy for anti-anxiety) is demonstrated through this study: Phytochemical and biological analysis of skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora L.): a medicinal plant with anxiolytic properties

These compounds may play a role in anxiolytic activity since baicalin and baicalein are known to bind to the benzodiazepine site of the GABAA receptor and since GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter.

Skullcap literally makes your brain less anxious!

I find this very interesting, this could potentially mean that "Skullcap" could be as efficient as a prescribed anxiolytic, since I have not yet had the pleasure to experiment with "Skullcap", I can not really make a statement, but I will order some seeds and try to plant them next spring. Thank you @mountainjewel for sharing your wisdom, and if you want to read her whole article, (Its great with video and loads of pictures), please check it out here:
#ihaveanxietytoo Challenge & Skullcap for Herbal Anxiety Support

I can't rate this herb since I never tried it but maybe @mountainjewel can, how many stars would you give Skullcap?
@mountainjewel -"I give skullcap a 5 for its use!"

#ihaveanxietytoo

But not when I got the right remedies!
So cure yourself and don't negotiate with anxiety!

And make sure you read up on your herbs before ingestion!
(This is from the FDA on Skullcap-tincture overdose):

According to the FDA, an overdose of the tincture causes giddiness, stupor, confusion, twitching of the limbs, intermission of the pulse, and other symptoms indicative of epilepsy. 11 Exceptionally large doses have resulted in seizure-like movements. Source.

Sources: https://www.drugs.com/npp/scullcap.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scutellaria_lateriflora

WARNING! Whilst browsing through pixabay, for an image of Skullcap I found this image below:

Image source: Pixabay
This image was tagged as Scullcap, but its really: Monkshood also called: wolf's bane, leopard's bane, mousebane, women's bane, devil's helmet, queen of poisons, or blue rocket... Yeah you get the picture, its dangerous, so if wildcrafting don't relay on pictures from the internet, just get a good field-guide, and go with someone who is knowledgeable.

Peace, Happiness, Love and Abundance to all steemians!

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