Valerian

Claims, Benefits: Herbal sleep aid.

Bottom Line: This mild tranquilizer has a long history of use. Nobody has discovered which element in the plant might produce the sedative effects, so valerian is hard to standardize. It may help you fall asleep, but may not improve the quality of sleep. Don't combine it with alcohol, tranquilizers, or barbiturates.

Full Article, Wellness Letter, August 1999:

Valerian vs. Valium

Sleeping potions are as old as insomnia—ancient herbalists and poets alluded to the soporific qualities of poppies and mandrake root, for example. Shakespeare spoke several times of sleep-inducing herbs. Valerian, a popular herbal sleeping pill today, was known as a medicinal plant in Roman times and takes its name from an ancient Roman province. The dried roots of this plant (Valerianae radix, also known as heliotrope) can be brewed for tea, and valerian root is also sold as a tincture (combined with a small amount of alcohol), in tablets, and as capsules. Some people add it to bath water and apply it to their skin.

Will it help you sleep?

Research results have been unclear. In some experiments a dose of valerian before retiring seems to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. But it has yet to be shown in a well-designed trial that valerian improves the quality of sleep, once you conk out. Nobody has yet discovered what element in the plant might produce the sedative effects, if any. Some component of valerian may have an action on the brain similar to that of tranquilizers like Valium and Halcion—but a milder effect less likely to produce habituation or dependency. Valerian has proved toxic in one animal study. It can produce such side effects as headaches, palpitations, and nausea. Dr. Varro Tyler, the American herbal expert, regards it as a "mild tranquilizer."

Commission E, the agency that officially evaluates herbal remedies in Germany, regards valerian as safe and effective for treating "restlessness and sleeping disorders brought on by nervous conditions." But the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention says there's inadequate scientific evidence to support valerian's use, though it recognizes its long history and calls for further research. No method has been developed for standardizing dosages of the herb.

What to do: If you suffer from severe insomnia, consider getting medical advice. If you want to try valerian, remember that it's unregulated and unstandardized—so the preparation you buy may supply more or fewer milligrams of valerian than it promises, or none at all. The tea or baths, by the way, are unlikely to have much effect. In any case, don't use valerian for more than two weeks. Pregnant and nursing women and children should avoid it. It's not a good idea to combine it with alcohol, tranquilizers, or barbiturates. See our April issue for suggestions on dealing with insomnia. A glass of warm milk and a relaxing bath at bedtime might be your first line of defense.

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, August 1999