Valerian
Background
Valerian is a plant native to Europe and Asia; it also grows in
North America.
Valerian
has been used medicinally since the times of early Greece and Rome;
Hippocrates wrote about its uses. Historically, valerian was used to
treat nervousness, trembling, headaches, and
heart palpitations.
Today,
valerian is used as a dietary supplement for insomnia, anxiety, and
other conditions such as depression and menopause symptoms.
The
roots and rhizomes (underground stems) of valerian are used to make
capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts, as well as teas.
How Much Do We Know?
Knowledge about valerian is limited because there have been only a
small number of high-quality studies in people.
What Have We Learned?
The evidence on whether valerian is helpful for sleep problems
is inconsistent.
There’s
not enough evidence to allow any conclusions about whether valerian can
relieve anxiety, depression, or menopausal symptoms.
What Do We Know About Safety?
Studies suggest that valerian is generally safe for use by most healthy
adults for short periods of time.
No
information is available about the long-term safety of valerian or its
safety in children younger than age 3, pregnant women, or
nursing mothers.
Few side effects have been reported in studies
of valerian. Those that have occurred include headache, dizziness,
itching, and digestive disturbances.
Because it is possible
(though not proven) that valerian might have a sleep-inducing effect,
it should not be taken along with alcohol or sedatives.
Keep in Mind
Tell
all your health care providers about any complementary or integrative
health approaches you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to
manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and
safe care.
Key References
- Awang
DVC. Valerian. In: Coates PM, Betz JM, Blackman MR, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Dietary
Supplements. 2nd
ed. New York, NY: Informa Healthcare; 2010:766-777.
- Fernandez-San-Martin
MI, Masa-Font R, Palacios-Soler L, et al. Effectiveness
of valerian on insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized
placebo-controlled trials. Sleep Medicine. 2010;11(6):505-511.
- Miyasaka
LS, Atallah AN, Soares B. Valerian for anxiety disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic
Reviews. 2006;(4):CD004515
[edited 2009]. Accessed at http://www.thecochranelibrary.com(link
is external) on
April 29, 2015.
- NIH
Office of Dietary Supplements. Valerian: Fact Sheet for Health
Professionals. Office of Dietary Supplements Web site. Accessed at http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Valerian-HealthProfessional/ on
April 29, 2015.
- Sarris
J, Byrne GJ. A
systematic review of insomnia and complementary medicine. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2011;15(2):99-106.
- Taibi
DM, Landis CA, Petry H, et al. A
systematic review of valerian as a sleep aid: safe but not effective. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2007;11(3):209-230.
- Valerian.
Natural Medicines Web site. Accessed at
naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/ on April 28, 2015.
-NIH
