• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for Other)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall) (tachycardia (fast heart rate))
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: As needed

Advice & Tips: Scullcap (particularly this species: Scutellaria lateriflora. There are many species in the genus) is best used in 'tincture' form (extract liquid in alcohol) as opposed to teas and capsules. The tincture can be swallowed (via eyedropper from the bottle) as is or put into water or tea and drank quickly (faster in = faster effect). This north american herb contains many compounds including 'flavones' that work as agonists (promote/activate) benzodiazepine receptors to give scullcap the same anxiolytic/sedative effects that one experiences on benzo's. It's dose dependant also (although be careful ok, within reason here) meaning you can match pretty close the effects you get from an actual rx'd benzo. To me thats amazing...all from a little legal non-rx herbal. Initial effects are quick (within 10-15mins) and include a subtle relaxation/tiredness that grows slowly on you. A minor headache and increase in heart rate occurs (for me anyway) pretty quick then goes away within minutes. The initial effect feels like that high peak of anxiolytic/relaxant feel you get from a benzo then it drops down rapidly to a sustained plateau - a nice muscle relaxing, feeling of calm, sleepyness, tension release that lasts perhaps a couple hours (not sure here, I fell asleep under an hour in a very chilled out state). Felt like xanax or klonopin. The herbal probably wont knock you out, I take it to 'set the stage' or chill me out, while I wait for seroquel, my main sleep med, to kick in. Highly worth the trial for anyone out there that either: cant get a benzo (dr's can be bastards), dont like the idea of benzo addiction (mind you skullcap will lose its effect if used to much like a benzo but has no known addictive properties), or prefer to use herbals. Brands (2 of them) i'm using are Canadian: -St Francis Herb Farms: Scullcap Tincture in a little 50ml eyedropper bottle -cost wise, it is roughly the same price as a month of temazepam (out of pocket cost - no drug plan) at $17. -TallGrass Distribution Ltd: "Botanica - Scullcap" in a little 50ml eyedropper bottle -cost about same as St Francis - ~$17 -*much stronger in taste and faster effect (due to higher ethanol content)

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: tachycardia (fast heart rate), headaches