According to the CDC 50 to 70 million people in the US suffer from sleep disorders with sales of prescription drugs in the billions.

Depending on the year sales of Ambien (zolpidem) and Lunesta (sonata) have led the market with annual sales ranging from $1-4 billion.  For example in 2011 sales were near $4 billion however, in 2016 sales are expected to be near $1.5 billion.

The variability in sales is not an indicator that fewer people are taking prescription sleep aids.  Rather, it is an indicator to the availability of generic alternatives.  As new drugs are introduced to the market (e.g. Belsomra) the sales are expected to swing up.

An alternative for many people is the use of botanicals to improve the quality of sleep.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) has been historically used to help relieve sleep disruption, anxiety, and restlessness.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) root is another plant that has a long history of use to help relieve sleep disorders.

A clinical trial was published in the journal Complimentary Therapies in Clinical Practice to determine if a combination of Lemon Balm and Valerian root could improve sleep patterns over a 1 month period.

Here are some details about the study:

• Women aged 50 to 60 years old were enrolled in the study
• Each capsule contained Valerian (160 mg) and Lemon Balm (80 mg)
• The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to determine if sleep improved  (A lower score represents better quality of sleep)
• The study was a double blind randomized placebo controlled clinical trial

Here are the results of the study:

• After 1 month 36% in the Valerian/Lemon Balm group improved quality of sleep
• Only 8% in the placebo group had improved quality of sleep.
• Scores in the Valerian/Lemon balm group improved from 11 to 5
• Scores in the Control group improved from 11 to 10
• The botanical was well accepted without reports of side effects.

Take away message:  These results suggest that a combination of Valerian and lemon balm could be beneficial for improved quality of sleep and may be a safe alternative for occasional sleeplessness. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal dosing of a combination Valerian/Lemon Balm product as studies have typically used higher amounts of these ingredients.

Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2013 November; Volume 19 (Issue 4): Pages 193-6

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Jeremy Johnson, PharmD, PhD

Dr. Johnson is a tenured associate Professor and licensed Pharmacist at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy.

His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.

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Categories: Clinical Trials, Sleep