Globe Thistle (Sphaeranthus indicus) is a flowering plant belonging to the Asteraceae family of plants. The plant grows to about 20 cm in height and can be found growing in parts of India, Australia and Sri Lanka. The globe thistle has traditionally been used as a medicinal herb and in this regard all parts of the plant are used. The plant has central nervous system effects and can be used to treat convulsions and mental illness. Studies have investigated the effects of the globe thistle on mood disorders in animals and results from these studies suggest that the plant possesses anxiolytic effects. For example, in one study, researchers compared the effects of Sphaeranthus indicus flower to the anxiolytic drug diazepam in mice. When the mice were exposed to experimental stress the extracts of globe thistle had a positive effect at reducing the anxious behaviour of the mice. However, the effect was less pronounced when compared to diazepam, suggesting a mild anxiety relieving effect.
The anxiolytic effects of Globe Thistle (Sphaeranthus indicus) may relate to the phytochemicals it contains. The plant contains both an alkaloid and non-alkaloid fraction, and both fractions may contribute towards reducing anxiety. Image: Mark Marathon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63122329.
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