Kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can struggle with inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It can affect cognition and memory and make life and school more challenging. A simple, gentle herb can help.
This double-blind study gave 15mg per kg body weight of lemon verbena extract or a placebo to 120 kids between the ages of 8 and 17 who had subclinical ADHD.
Kids in the lemon verbena group had significantly lower depression scores, and there was a significant improvement in tension and anxiety as well as in hyperactivity and impulsivity.
On the Stroop task congruent stimuli accuracy test, the kids on lemon verbena improved significantly more, indicating improvement in attention and cognition.
This study suggests that lemon verbena can help kids with subclinical ADHD by improving depression, mood, behaviour, cognition, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
J Psychopharmacol. April 2025:2698811251324574.