Valerian

the root of valerian (Valerianae radix)

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a perennial up to a metre and a half tall, with pinnate leaves and pink-white flower heads that smell sweet; the root, once dried, takes on a strong smell many people cannot bear – cats, on the other hand, are very fond of it. It grows in damp meadows, beside streams and in woodland clearings.

The root and rhizome are lifted in the autumn of the second year of growth, or early in spring. They are washed quickly in cold water, the thicker parts are cut through, and they are dried at a low temperature and apart from other herbs, which would take up the smell. The characteristic smell develops only during drying.

A dry extract, a tincture and a tea are not interchangeable preparations. In Ašič's collection the root appears in Valerian Drops, Drops for a Good Night and the NočSIT blend.

Use and evidence

Some dry ethanolic extracts hold EMA status of well-established use for mild nervous tension and sleep disorders, while other preparations hold traditional use only. The effect is not immediate, and the preparations cannot be treated as equivalent. EMA 1, EMA 2, EMA 3.