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Valerian is a plant, which is native to Europe and parts of Asia. It was used as a perfume in the 16th century, although it has an unpleasant smell, and has also been used as a medicinal herb since the times of ancient Greece and Rome.
In medieval times it was given the name “All Heal” as it was used to cure a variety of different illnesses, and during World War 2, it was used to treat stress caused by air raids.
Valerian has a history of being used as a sedative. It may delay pain and promote sleep and has none of the after effects produced by narcotics. It has also been used as an anticonvulsant in epilepsy and in the treatment of cardiac palpitations, as it may slow the heart.
The main constituent of Valerian is a volatile oil containing sesquiterpenes. It also contains the alkaloids, actinidine, catinine, valerianine and valerine. Other active compounds include isovaleramide, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), valeric acid, and flavenons such as hesperidin, 6-methylapigenin and linarin.
Isovaltrate is an agonist for adenosine A1 receptor sites and this may contribute to the herbs sedative effects.
A study has also shown that Valerian may increase the amount of GABA (an inhibitory neurotransmitter) as it has some affinity for the GABAA (benzodiazepine) receptor.
100ml, 1:5 tincture
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