Herbal Information

What is Valerian?

Other names: All-heal, Amantilla, Setwall, Setewale, Capon’s Tail, Valeriana officinalis

Valerian is a plant native to Europe and Asia. It grows to up to four feet high and has trumpet-shaped flowers. The roots are used medicinally. Although the fresh root is relatively odorless, the dried root has a strong odor that many find unpleasant.

Valerian is believed to have been used since at least the time of ancient Greece and Rome. It was used as a folk remedy for a variety of conditions such as sleeping problems, digestive complaints, nervousness, trembling, tension headaches and heart palpitations. Valerian’s popularity waned with the introduction of prescription sleep medication. (more…)

With many children’s cough syrups being pulled from the market because they don’t work, an old folk remedy — honey — may work just as well or better, researchers report.

In a study of kids having trouble sleeping because of cough, a research team at Penn State College of Medicine compared the effectiveness of a little bit of buckwheat honey before bedtime versus either no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), the cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medicines. (more…)

Inability to sleep or disturbed sleep is a common complaint. Habitual or severe insomnia may require pharmaceutical intervention. However, there is some evidence to indicate that herbal preparations may be useful in mild to moderate cases, both in the form of tablets made of concentrated extracts and as simple herbal teas.

Valeriana officinalis, or valerian root, is one of the most common herbs used for insomnia. (more…)

Key points

This fact sheet provides an overview of the use of valerian for insomnia and other sleep disorders and contains the following key information:

• Valerian is an herb sold as a dietary supplement in the United States.
• Valerian is a common ingredient in products promoted as mild sedatives and sleep aids for nervous tension and insomnia.
• Evidence from clinical studies of the efficacy of valerian in treating sleep disorders such as insomnia is inconclusive.
• Constituents of valerian have been shown to have sedative effects in animals, but there is no scientific agreement on valerian’s mechanisms of action.
• Although few adverse events have been reported, long-term safety data are not available.

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