Valerian

• What other names is Valerian known by?
• What is Valerian?
• Is Valerian effective?
• How does Valerian work?
• Are there safety concerns?
• Are there any interactions with medications?
• Dosing considerations for Valerian

What other names is Valerian known by?

All-Heal, Amantilla, Baldrian, Baldrianwurzel, Belgium Valerian, Common Valerian, Fragrant Valerian, Garden Heliotrope, Garden Valerian, Indian Valerian, Mexican Valerian, Pacific Valerian, Tagar, Tagar-Ganthoda, Tagara, Valeriana, Valeriana angustifolia, Valeriana Edulis, Valeriana Jatamansii, Valeriana officinalis, Valeriana psuedofficinalis, Valeriana Rhizome, Valeriana Sitchensis, Valeriana Wallichii, Valerianae Radix, Valeriane.

What is Valerian?

Valerian is an herb. Medicine is made from the root.

Is Valerian effective?

There is some scientific evidence that valerian can help people who have trouble sleeping. It seems to help people fall asleep faster and get a better night’s rest. Valerian might work about as well as some low-dose sleeping pills, but it may take up to a month of nightly use before sleeping improves.

There is also some evidence that valerian can improve mood and the ability to concentrate.

There isn’t enough information to know whether or not valerian is effective for the other conditions people use it for, including: depression, convulsions, mild tremors, epilepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), muscle and joint pain, headache, stomach upset, menstrual pains, menopausal symptoms including hot flashes and anxiety, and many others. Do not use valerian for these conditions until more is known.

Possibly Effective for...

• Insomnia.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Depression, anxiety, restlessness, convulsions, mild tremors, epilepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), muscle and joint pain, headache, stomach upset, menstrual pains, menopausal symptoms including hot flashes and anxiety, and other conditions.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).

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