Latin Names—Valeriana officinalis
Botanical Illustration of Valeriana officinalis from Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, 1887
Valerian is a plant native to Europe and Asia; it is also found in North America. Valerian has been used as an herbal remedy since the time of ancient Greece and Rome.
Its therapeutic uses were described by Hippocrates, and in the 2nd century, Galen prescribed valerian for insomnia. The roots and rhizomes (underground stems) of valerian are typically used to make nutritional supplements, including capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts, as well as teas.
Traditionally, valerian has been used for sleep disorders and anxiety. Valerian has also been used as an herbal remedy in the hope of improving other symptoms, such as headaches, depression, irregular heartbeat, and trembling.
Research suggests that valerian may be helpful for insomnia, but there is not enough evidence from well-designed studies to confirm this.
There is not enough scientific evidence to determine whether valerian works for anxiety or for other conditions, such as depression and headaches.
Side Effects and Cautions
- Valerian can cause side effects, such as headaches, dizziness, upset stomach, and tiredness the morning after its use.
- No information is available about the long-term safety of valerian.
- Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health to help ensure coordinated and safe care. Complementary or alternative therapy should not be used in place of conventional medical care or to delay seeking that care.
Sources
- Office of Dietary Supplements and National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Questions and Answers About Valerian for Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders. Office of Dietary Supplements Web site. Accessed July 10, 2007.
- Valerian. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. Accessed July 5, 2007.
- Valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.). Natural Standard Database Web site. Accessed July 3, 2007.
- Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis). In: Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckman J, eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000:394–400.
- Awang DVC, Leung AY. Valerian. In: Coates P, Blackman M, Cragg G, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 2005:687–700.
For More Information
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) Clearinghouse
The NCCAM Clearinghouse provides information on CAM and NCCAM, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.
Using Dietary Supplements Wisely
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/supplements/wiseuse.htm
Toll-free in the U.S.: 1-888-644-6226
TTY (for deaf and hard-of-hearing callers): 1-866-464-3615
Web site: nccam.nih.gov
E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov Contact NCCAM
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Web site: ods.od.nih.gov
NIH National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus
Valerian Listing: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-valerian.html
Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Valerian fact sheet, Created May 2006, Updated June 2008
