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Abstract

Herbalism is a traditional medicine practice based on the utilization of plants and plant extracts. In herbalism 'Valerian' is a boon medicine for several ailments. Valerian (Valerian officinalis) is a naturally occurring Ayurvedic medicine widely grown in the temperate zones of Europe, North America and Asia and is a safe herbal supplement indicated in various ailments, chief being for the symptoms associated with difficulty in sleeping. It improves subjective experiences of sleep when taken nightly over one-to two-week periods. Although the adverse effect profile and tolerability of this herb are excellent, long-term safety studies are lacking. Due to the this limitations and inconsistent results in currently published clinical trials, further research is needed to clarify the efficacy and side effect profile of valerian, especially in regard to long-term therapy. In present investigation, the medicinally important herbal drug Valerian is reviewed for various taxonomical aspects including botanical authenticity, historical backgrounds, description, existing common names, medicinally important species, going through cultivation, commerce, regulation to phytochemical description, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, adverse drug reactions, toxicology, contraindications and safety aspects of Valerian. This paper also intends to motivate and accelerate pharmaceutical research on Valerian for development of convenient, effective and Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) medication.

Collection, cultivation and processing of medical plants, herbs and spices in the Balaton Ecomuseum – herbal medicine as intangible cultural heritage

“…Valerian is a very complex herb, well known and has been used for hundreds of years as a sleeping aid and tranquiliser. https://smiling-sun-gardens.myshopify.com/products/valerianvaleriana-officinalis Although over 120 chemical components have been isolated from valerian, no adverse side effects could be identified with moderate use (Sharma et al 2010). The most important compounds, responsible for sedative and anti-inflammatory effects include valerenic acid, a sesquiterpenoid constituent of the essential oil, which increases levels of GABA 10 and has even anti-inflammatory effects, iridoids with sedative effects, and isovaleric acid, which is able to prevent involuntary muscle contractions.…”