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SUPPLEMENT_SCHOLAR
evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

California Poppy

aka Eschscholzia californica

Mild sedative with anxiolytic and analgesic activity.

Sleep & RecoveryMood & Anxiety

Overview

Mild sedative with anxiolytic and analgesic activity.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      Protopine alkaloids enhance GABA binding and inhibit monoamine oxidase weakly.

      Pathways

        Effects on the body

        Organ system effects

        Evidence-based benefits

        Improves sleep onset latency

        Limited evidence

        Potential side effects

        Common
        • · Drowsiness
        Rare
          Serious

            Drug interactions

            No notable interactions reported.

            Safety & non-supplemental interactions

            Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

            Avoid if you are
            • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
            • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)
            Avoid / monitor with these medications
            • ·Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, sedating antihistamines (additive CNS depression)

            Supplement interactions

            Pairs well with

            None listed.

            Avoid combining with

            No specific avoidances listed.

            Dosing & bioavailability

            Typical dose
            80–320 mg extract
            With food?
            Evening

            Where to buy

            Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

            Herb
            California P…
            Amazon
            Wide selection · fast shipping
            Herb
            California P…
            iHerb
            Global delivery · curated brands
            Herb
            California P…
            Thorne
            Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

            Scientific evidence (8)

            RCTCurr Med Res Opin · 2004

            California poppy + magnesium for anxiety

            Hanus M, et al.

            3-month DB-RCT in 264 GAD patients.

            Key findings

            Combination significantly reduced HAM-A vs placebo.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: California Poppy — Improves sleep onset latency

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "California Poppy Improves sleep onset latency" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching California Poppy and "Improves sleep onset latency". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: California Poppy — randomized controlled trial

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "California Poppy randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching California Poppy and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: California Poppy — meta-analysis

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "California Poppy meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching California Poppy and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: California Poppy — pharmacokinetics

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "California Poppy pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching California Poppy and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: California Poppy — safety adverse events

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "California Poppy safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching California Poppy and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: California Poppy — dose response

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "California Poppy dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching California Poppy and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

            Google Scholar: California Poppy — clinical evidence

            Live Scholar search

            Cross-database citation index for California Poppy as it relates to "clinical evidence".

            Key findings

            Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

            Open study
            Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.