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Rooted

Nervous / Mental

Pre-operative anxiety

3 plants

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A labeled passionflower extract has small RCT data versus benzodiazepines for pre-op anxiety. That is not permission to add kava, ginkgo, garlic, ginseng, and SJW the night before. Bleeding plants and CYP inducers belong on the anesthesia hold list. This is not a substitute for midazolam when anesthesia planned it.

Primary plants

  1. Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
    1
    PassionflowerHuman data

    Passiflora incarnata

    Small human pre-op anxiety trials. Modest. Species: P. incarnata.

    Typical. Aerial extract as studied, timing per product — and tell anesthesia.

    Safety. Additive CNS depression with anxiolytics/opioids.

Supportive plants2
  • Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
    Lemon balmHuman data
    Melissa officinalis

    Mild somatic tension. Cleaner than kava the week of surgery.

    Typical. Leaf tea.

    Safety. Very well tolerated at tea dose.

  • Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
    LavenderStrong traditional
    Lavandula angustifolia

    Inhaled oil is a waiting-room tool. Oral Silexan is a systemic CNS drug — disclose it.

    Typical. Inhaled; do not drink the bottle.

    Safety. Irritation. Disclose oral oil.

Clinical notes

  • Hold garlic, ginkgo, ginseng, high-dose ginger extract, and SJW per usual peri-op bleeding/CYP lists.
  • Kava is a hepatotoxicity file — not a pre-op nervine.

When this is not enough

  • Uncontrolled CAD as the surgical indication, malignant hyperthermia history questions, someone hiding supplements from anesthesia

Rooted is a private clinical reference for licensed practitioners. It is educational, not a treatment protocol, and not a substitute for the chart, the exam, or pharmacy review. Plant medicines interact with drugs and can harm liver, kidney, heart, pregnancy, and children.

All nervous / mental diagnoses