Plant native to Africa, Griffonia is used in herbal medicine, that is to say in the treatment of certain ailments using medicinal plants . Several studies tend to testify to its benefits as an amino acid direct precursor of serotonin. Griffonia would have a positive effect on mood and sleep, among other things.
Originally from Central and West Africa, the species Griffonia simplicifolia is a climbing plant that can reach up to three meters in height. It is part of the Fabaceae family. , one of the most important families of flowering plants in which we find peanuts, broad beans and even mung beans. Griffonia seeds, rich in 5-HTP – precursor of serotonin – give it an interest in the field of phytotherapy. But what is serotonin? It is a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and in the intramural plexuses of the digestive tract. Serotonin is also an autacoid (local hormone) that enterochromaffin cells in the digestive tract and thrombocytes in the bone marrow can release.
In phytotherapy, the use of Griffonia very often concerns emotional hypersensitivity. Indeed, it enters the treatment of behavioral disorders such as depression, anxiety, aggression or loss of self-esteem. It is also a question of treating sleep disorders (insomnia, restless sleep) and appetite (bulimia, obesity). Griffonia would also soothe certain painful syndromes (headaches, fribomyalgia) and improve the general state of health via an antioxidant action.
Several studies have focused on Griffonia. In 1989, British researchers estimated that a deficiency in tryptophan, the amino acid precursor of 5HTP, itself immediate precursor of serotonin – could be correlated with depression. Remember that tryptophan is an essential amino acid for well-being, a precursor to happiness hormones. Its presence in sufficient quantity would therefore be synonymous with a good mood and a better quality of sleep .
Most work on Griffonia has focused on its effects on mood. In 1980, a Dutch study tested the product on patients suffering from depression, previously hospitalized and treated with clomipramine, an antidepressant and anxiolytic. According to the results, the risk of relapse is rather low. In 1991, Swiss researchers concluded that 5-HTP is more effective and better tolerated than fluvoxamine , a very common antidepressant drug.
Regarding sleep, two studies were conducted in 1970 (United States) and 2004 (Italy). Patients consuming Griffonia had longer REM sleep. Recall that paradoxical sleep occupies about 25% of the duration of a night and that this is the phase of sleep in which remembered dreams occur. There are also positive responses regarding night terrors, a type of parasomnia that is nothing other than a paroxysmal and spectacular disorder sleep.
Finally, you should know that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has not validated all the effects suggested by this work. In addition, these studies have most of the time included very small samples. In other words, Griffonia is not officially intended to treat, cure or prevent disease.
