Valerian medicinal rhizome with roots. Valerian rhizomes with roots: indications and contraindications, reviews

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Rice. 5.18. Valerian officinalis – Valeriana officinalis L.

Rhizomes with valerian roots- rhizomata cum radicibus valerianae
Fresh rhizomes with valerian roots- rhizomata cum radicibus valerianae recentia
Valerian officinalis herb- herba valerianae officinalis
— Valeriana officinalis L.
Sem. valerian-Valeriaceae
Other names: pharmaceutical maun, cat root, magpie grass, shake grass, maun, meun

perennial herbaceous plant height from 50 cm to 2 m. In the first year of life, only a rosette of basal leaves is formed, in the second - flowering shoots.
The rhizome is short, cone-shaped, vertical, with numerous thin cord-like roots.
Stems erect, hollow inside, ribbed, pale purple in color at the bottom.
Leaves unpaired-pinnately dissected, lower ones petiolate, upper ones sessile. In the upper part the stem is branched and bears corymbose-paniculate inflorescences.
Flowers small, corolla white, pink or purple, funnel-shaped. There are three stamens, one pistil with a lower ovary.
Fetus- brown achene with a tuft (Fig. 5.18).
Blooms from late May to August, the fruits ripen in July - September.

Composition of valerian

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Chemical composition of valerian

About 100 individual substances were found in valerian raw materials.

Rhizomes with roots contain from 0.5 to 2.4% essential oil, the main part of which is bornyl isovalerate,

and also present

• free isovaleric acid and borneol,
• bicyclic monoterpenoids (camphene, pinene, terpineol),
• sesquiterpenoids (valerianal, valerenone, valerenic acid),
• free valeric acid.

The raw materials also contain

• iridoids - valepotriates (0.8-2.5%),
• tannins,
• triterpene saponins,
• organic acids,
• alkaloids,
• free amines.

Properties and uses of valerian

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Pharmacotherapeutic group. Sedative.

Pharmacological properties of valerian

Valerian has a multifaceted effect on the body:

• depresses the central nervous system, reduces its excitability;
• reduces spasms of smooth muscle organs.
• Valerian essential oil relieves cramps;
• valerian reduces agitation,
• prolongs the effect of sleeping pills,
• has an inhibitory effect on the medulla oblongata and midbrain systems,
• increases the functional mobility of cortical processes.
• regulates the activity of the heart, acting indirectly through the central nervous system and directly on the muscle and conduction system of the heart,
• improves coronary circulation due to the direct effect of borneol on the blood vessels of the heart.
• enhances the secretion of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract,
• increases bile secretion.

Valerian serves as an example when a total extract from a plant provides a therapeutic effect, while isolated substances do not have a corresponding effect.

Uses of valerian

Valerian officinalis is used for various indications:

• as a sedative for chronic functional disorders of the central nervous system,
• for neuroses, hysteria and other neurotic conditions;
• for epilepsy along with other therapeutic measures, insomnia, migraine;
• for heart neuroses and chronic coronary circulation disorders;
• for hypertension;
• to reduce the excitability of the cerebral cortex and reduce vegetative-vascular disorders;
• with tachycardia caused by a neurotic state.

Valerian preparations are used

• for stomach neuroses accompanied by spastic pain, constipation and flatulence,
• in case of violations of the secretory function of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract;
• diseases of the liver and biliary tract in complex therapy;
• with thyrotoxicosis with painful subjective symptoms (feeling of heat, palpitations, etc.);
• for menopausal disorders and a number of other diseases accompanied by sleep disturbances and increased irritability.

Valerian is more effective with systematic and long-term use due to the slow development of the therapeutic effect.

Valerian infusion is used in the complex treatment of obesity as an anorexigenic agent. By suppressing the hypothalamic appetite centers, valerian reduces the feeling of hunger, suppresses appetite, and helps withstand food restriction.

As a rule, valerian preparations are well tolerated, but in some patients with hypertension they have the opposite stimulating effect, disrupt sleep, and cause difficult dreams.

One of the components of the therapeutic effect of valerian is its smell, which has a reflex effect on the central nervous system. It is also possible for medicinal substances to enter the body through inhalation (through the lungs).

Uses of Valerian Herb

A hydroalcoholic extract used in the production of soft drinks is obtained from the valerian herb.

Spreading

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Spreading. Almost all over Russia. It does not form thickets suitable for harvesting, so it is cultivated in the middle zone on many specialized farms. The plantations produce the best quality raw materials. The rhizomes of cultivated plants are twice as large.

Habitat. It grows in a variety of environmental conditions: in grass and peat bogs, lowlands, swampy, sometimes saline meadows, along the banks of rivers and lakes, in thickets of bushes, in forest clearings and edges. In the northern regions, valerian has thinner roots, in the southern regions the rhizomes and roots are larger. Cultivated on fertile, moist soils.

Procurement and storage of raw materials

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Rhizome with valerian roots

Preparation. Harvesting rhizomes with valerian roots should be carried out in late autumn (late September - mid-October), when the growth of the root mass is completed. Harvesting in early spring before the beginning of the growing season is allowed, but at the same time the quality and yield of raw materials are almost halved. Harvesting of raw materials on farms is carried out using a special combine or potato diggers. Rhizomes with roots are cleaned of the remains of aerial parts and soil, thick rhizomes are cut lengthwise, quickly washed with water (no more than 20 minutes) and dried with active ventilation, spread out in a layer of 3-5 cm.

Security measures. When harvesting wild-growing raw materials, after digging up the underground parts, the seeds from the plant are shaken off into the same hole where the roots were and covered with earth; in addition, all small plants and some large ones are left at the collection site for the renewal of thickets. Stems with seeds are trimmed without damaging the rhizomes.

When harvesting, similar plants are sometimes collected. All impurities are easily recognized by the absence of a “valerian” smell in dry raw materials.

Drying. Dried rhizomes with roots are dried in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 35 °C. Dried roots should break, but not bend.

Standardization. GF XI, issue. 2, art. 77; Change No. 3 dated March 11, 1997; Change No. 5 dated 10.27.99.

Storage. According to the rules for storing essential oil raw materials, packed in bags and bales, in a cool, dry place. The shelf life of dried raw materials is 3 years. Freshly collected raw materials must be processed within 3 days in pharmaceutical factories.

Valerian herb

Blank. The grass is mowed during the period of budding and flowering or before harvesting rhizomes with roots, cut into pieces up to 20 cm long and dried. Air drying or drying in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 40 ºС. Used as a raw material to obtain aqueous-alcoholic extract.

Standardization. TU 64-4-44-83 and Change No. 1 dated 04/10/88.

Storage. The shelf life of dried raw materials is 2 years from the date of procurement.

External signs of raw materials

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Rhizomes with valerian roots

Cspruce raw materials

Whole or cut along rhizomes up to 4 cm long, up to 3 cm thick, with a loose core, often hollow, with transverse partitions. Numerous thin adventitious roots, sometimes underground shoots - stolons, extend from the rhizome on all sides.
Roots often separated from the rhizome; they are smooth, brittle, of varying lengths, up to 3 mm thick.
Color The rhizomes and roots are yellowish-brown on the outside, yellowish to brown at the fracture.
Smell strong, aromatic.
Taste

Crushed raw materials

Pieces of roots and rhizomes of various shapes, light brown in color, passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 7 mm. Smell strong, aromatic. Taste spicy, bittersweet.

Powder grayish-brown color, passing through a sieve with holes measuring 0.2 mm. The smell is strong, aromatic. The taste is spicy, sweetish-bitter.

Valerian herb

External signs

The raw materials are leafy stems with corymbose-paniculate inflorescences up to 20 cm long and individual leaves, mostly crushed.
Stems cylindrical, ribbed, hollow, with opposite unpaired pinnately dissected leaves with 6-8 pairs of segments, slightly pubescent; The lower leaves are petiolate, the upper ones are sessile. Leaf segments are linear-lanceolate to ovate, entire or serrated.
whisk funnel-shaped, flowers are pale pink, small, collected in a corymbose-paniculate inflorescence.
Color leaves from green to greenish-brown, stems from brownish-green to brown.
Smell weak.

Microscopy of raw materials

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Whole, crushed raw materials

On a cross section of the root the epidermis (rhizoderm) is visible, the cells of which are often elongated into long hairs or papillae.
Hypodermal cells larger ones, often with drops of essential oil.
Bark wide, consists of homogeneous round parenchyma cells filled with starch grains, simple and 2-5-complex, 3-9 (less often up to 20) microns in size.
Endoderm consists of cells with thickened radial walls.
Young roots have a primary structure.
Old roots in the basal part they have a secondary structure with radiate wood (xylem) (Fig. 5.19).

Rice. 5.19. Microscopy of valerian root

Rice. 5.19. Microscopy of valerian root:

A – root with a diameter of 1–2 mm;
B – root with a diameter of 2–3 mm;
B – root with a diameter of 4 mm:
1 – epidermis and hypodermis;
2 – bark;
3 – xylem;
4 – phloem;
5 – endoderm;
6 – cambium;
D – fragment of a cross section of the root:
1 – epidermis; 2 – hypodermis; 3 – cortex cells with starch; 4 – endoderm; 5 – pericycle; 6 – phloem; 7 – xylem.

Powder

Visible under a microscope

• scraps of parenchyma with simple and 2-5-complex starch grains,
• fragments of blood vessels,
• scraps of covering tissue,
• individual starch grains,
• occasionally stony cells.

Numerical indicators of raw materials

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Numerical indicators of rhizomes with valerian roots

Whole raw materials

Extractive substances extracted with 70% alcohol, no less than 25%; the amount of valepotriate in terms of valtrate is not less than 1.4%; esters in terms of ethyl ester of valerenic acid not less than 2%; humidity no more than 15%; total ash no more than 14%; ash, insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 10%; other parts of valerian (remains of stems and leaves, including those separated during analysis), as well as old dead rhizomes no more than 5%; organic impurity no more than 2%; mineral impurity no more than 3%.

Crushed raw materials

Extractive substances extracted with 70% alcohol, no less than 25%; humidity no more than 15%; total ash no more than 13%; ash, insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 10%; other parts of valerian (remnants of stems and leaves), as well as old dead rhizomes no more than 5%; particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 7 mm, no more than 10%; particles passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 0.5 mm, no more than 10%; organic impurity no more than 2%; mineral impurity no more than 1%.

Powder

Extractive substances extracted with 70% alcohol, no less than 25%; humidity no more than 10%; total ash no more than 13%; ash, insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 10%; particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 0.2 mm, no more than 1%.

Numerical indicators of Valerian herb

Medicines based on valerian

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Medicines.

1. Valerian rhizomes with roots, crushed raw materials. Sedative (calming) agent.
2. As part of the collection (carminative; sedatives No. 1-3; gastric No. 3; collection for the preparation of medicine according to the prescription of M.N. Zdrenko).
3. Valerian tincture (tincture (1:5) in 70% ethanol). Obtained from fresh raw materials. Sedative, antispasmodic.
4. Valerian extract is thick (p.o. tablets, 0.02 g each). Sedative, antispasmodic.
5. Valerian extract liquid. Sedative, antispasmodic.
6. Valerian tincture and extract are included in complex medicines (Cardiovalen, Valokormid, Valosedan, Novo-Passit, Persen, Nervoflux, etc.).

Valerian is a perennial plant in which, over the course of several years, rhizomes and roots are formed that accumulate biologically active substances. More than 100 different components are isolated in the roots and rhizomes, which determine the beneficial properties and provide the therapeutic effect of the drugs.

Dried valerian rhizome with thin roots

Valerian root is used in folk and traditional medicine for nervous tension, sleep disorders, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, hypertension and some other diseases. However, the beneficial properties of the root are often overestimated, and possible harm to health is not taken into account. At the same time, preparations based on valerian, including those prepared at home, have a number of contraindications and side effects. In addition, when making products at home, the quality of the collected raw materials and the conditions for their storage are of great importance.

Valerian tends to accumulate in the body, so its effect does not appear immediately, but after a certain time. To benefit from the medicine, it is very important to use it correctly and not to overdose, because in this case the effect of taking valerian can be exactly the opposite of what was expected.

What does valerian root look like?

The rhizome and roots of valerian are the underground part of the plant, providing water and mineral components to the above-ground organs. It is in the roots that nutrients accumulate that provide a healing effect. Valerian rhizomes are located vertically. They reach 2-4 cm in length and no more than 3 cm in width. The core of the rhizomes is loose with transverse partitions.

Numerous thin roots extend from the rhizome in different directions. They have a smooth surface and break easily. The roots are usually located horizontally. Their width ranges from 1 to 4 mm, and their length is 10-20 cm.

The photo below shows what freshly dug up and washed rhizomes with valerian roots look like:

Note

A rhizome is a modified shoot of perennial plants that is located underground, but not deep from the surface. As a rule, it grows away from the stem. The main function of the rhizome is to accumulate substances necessary for the plant. Leaves, buds and adventitious roots may emerge from the rhizome. Roots are the vegetative organ of a plant, which performs the functions of anchoring the plant in the soil, feeding it, propagating it and other functions.

On the outside, the roots and rhizomes are light brown in color, but on the inside it can vary from yellow to brown.

The photo below shows what the underground part of the plant looks like in cross-section:

After drying, the weight of rhizomes decreases by 75%, and their color becomes darker. Also, dried raw materials become more fragile and begin to emit a strong specific odor. This is what it looks like in the form in which it is used to prepare medicines:

Collection and preparation of rhizomes

Valerian officinalis loves warm and moderately humid climates. In the wild, it grows on the edges of forests, near rivers, lakes and swamps in the temperate and subtropical zones of Europe. Some related species are also common in dry regions; they can be found in the steppes and on mountain slopes. Valerian does not form large thickets, but grows among other plants.

When harvested, valerian can easily be confused with hemp grass, meadowsweet and some other plants.

For example, the photo below shows a bush of valerian officinalis:

Here is hemp sapling:

And here is meadowsweet:

You can distinguish plants by carefully looking at the leaves, inflorescences and flowers. Valerian has wide cylindrical stems, branched at the top, and opposite leaves, while meadowsweet has thin stems and intermittently pinnate leaves. A noticeable difference is the color of the stems. Valerian has only green stems, while meadowsweet has branched stems that can take on a pinkish tint, as can be seen in the photo:

A characteristic feature of the window sill is the lack of branching of the stems. That is, if valerian and meadowsweet have “twigs”, then the leaves of the sill grow from the main stem. They also have a significant difference - the leaves are covered with small villi, which is why they seem fluffy and soft to the touch. As you can see in the photo, thanks to the even, erect stems, the window sill gives the impression of a neatly growing bush.

These three plants also differ in their inflorescences. Valerian has small, tubular, 5-petalled flowers that form corymbose or paniculate inflorescences of white or pink color. Meadowsweet flowers are also small, but six-petaled, mostly white. Other shades of this plant are rare. At first glance, the flowers may seem almost identical, but if you look closely at the photographs of valerian and meadowsweet inflorescences, the differences will become obvious.

The window sill does not produce flowers, but small flower baskets of light or deep pink color, as in the photo:

The flower baskets of the saplings are collected at the top of the stem into corymbose inflorescences. The baskets emit a light aroma similar to vanilla. The inflorescences of valerian and meadowsweet do not have such a smell.

Characteristic features of valerian rhizomes are their vertical position and strong odor. Meadowsweet rhizomes are located horizontally, and meadowsweet rhizomes are located vertically, and in appearance they are very similar to valerian, but do not have its characteristic smell. If rhizomes of other plants were included during the collection process, they can be easily recognized during the drying of the raw materials. The well-known valerian smell is present only at its roots, while other plants do not have it.

Note

In Latin, valerian is called Valeriana officinalis. This is the official name of the plant, although valerian is often popularly referred to as cat root, aromatic root, maun and shake grass.

Valerian is grown on plantations to make medicines. Cultivated plants have twice as many rhizomes as wild plants. Valerian is grown from seeds that are sown before the onset of winter or early spring. It does not require special care and takes root well, so it can also be grown in garden plots. Since the plant is moisture-loving, valerian grows best on black soil and dried peat bogs. The correct use of fertilizers can increase the yield of roots.

Valerian plantation in Ukraine

Rhizomes and roots of wild valerian are collected in the first half of autumn, when the seeds fall off. If necessary, rhizomes of cultivated valerian can be collected in early spring, before the development of the above-ground part of the plant begins. With the advent of grass and flowers, the amount of nutrients in the roots decreases.

In wild conditions, the plant is completely dug up and the entire root is cut off. When growing at home, you can cut off part of the root, leaving the bush to grow further. By the new harvest season, the rhizomes grow again. In young plants that are less than two years old, you can cut off a third of the rhizome, in older plants - two thirds.

After collection, the raw materials are shaken off the ground, the remaining herbal part is removed and washed.

After washing, the roots and rhizomes become white.

You can dry the rhizomes whole. First, valerian is hung in the shade outside for several days to dry out. Then lay it out indoors on a flat surface to dry completely. Every 1-2 days, the raw materials need to be mixed so that they do not rot and begin to rot. To speed up the process, you can use special dryers, but the temperature in them should not exceed 40 degrees. During drying, the raw material darkens and acquires a richer odor.

As a rule, after withering, the roots are cut off from the rhizomes to make the raw material more compact.

Dried valerian can be stored in a dry, dark place in thick cardboard boxes or glass jars with lids for approximately 3 years. If stored in linen bags, the essential oil will quickly evaporate and valerian will lose some of its beneficial properties. For storage, the rhizomes can be left whole, crushed or even ground into powder, depending on how they will be used in the future. The ground root can be infused with alcohol and stored in the form of a tincture. It is important to choose the correct ratio of medicinal raw materials and alcohol.

What are the benefits of valerian root?

The chemical composition of valerian roots and rhizomes contains more than 100 different components. Most biologically active substances are contained in essential oil, the amount of which in dried raw materials ranges from 0.5 to 2%. The most significant components are isovaleric acid, borneol, bicyclic monoterpenes, tannins, polysaccharides, saponins, valepotriates and alkaloids.

Valerian contains 10 different valepotriates, which provide a slight antispasmodic effect of the drugs. Alkaloids, resins and some other substances have a sedative effect on the central nervous system. The ability of valerian to dilate blood vessels and influence coronary circulation is provided by glycosides and borneol. Organic acids provide a choleretic effect. Also, the plant extract contains many macro- and microelements: iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, selenium and others. With prolonged use of valerian, selenium and iron can accumulate in the body.

It is important that only the roots and rhizomes of the plant have medicinal properties. Its shoots and inflorescences are not used in medicine.

Valerian leaves have virtually no medicinal value.

Note

There are many versions of why valerian has this name. According to one of them, the word “valerian” comes from the word “valere”, which in Latin means “to be healthy”.

The most pronounced pharmacological properties of valerian are mild sedative and hypnotic, and to a lesser extent antispasmodic. Valerian has all these effects indirectly, through its effect on the central nervous system. It also affects the functioning of the heart and promotes the dilation of coronary vessels, which improves coronary circulation and reduces blood pressure.

Pharmacological properties of valerian:

• Sedative – reduces the excitability of the central nervous system;
• Sleeping pills – normalizes sleep, speeds up falling asleep;
• Antispasmodic – weakens spasms of smooth muscle organs;
• Antihypertensive – lowers blood pressure;
• Choleretic – enhances bile secretion and glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract.

Valerian has low biological activity; its effect appears only after a full course of treatment, when a sufficient amount of active substances accumulates in the body. In this regard, the drug is most often prescribed in complex therapy, as an additional remedy.

Use of valerian in medicine

Valerian is included in many medications, homeopathic remedies and dietary supplements. Valerian extract is produced in tablet form and in the form of a tincture, which is prepared on the basis of ethyl alcohol. Valerian is also included in soothing herbal teas and complex preparations.

One of these complex preparations containing valerian and motherwort

In traditional medicine, valerian is used as a mild sedative and hypnotic for sleep disorders and nervous tension. It is also sometimes prescribed in the complex treatment of certain diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular systems and digestive tract.

Valerian is used for:

• Sleep disorders and insomnia;
• Psycho-emotional stress;
• Antispasmodic pain in the digestive tract;
• Spastic conditions of smooth muscle organs;
• Hypertension;
• Coronary circulation disorders;
• Some diseases of the liver and biliary tract.

The advisability of using valerian in the treatment of the above diseases has been scientifically confirmed. However, its drugs are prescribed only in complex therapy. It is not recommended to use it as the main medicine, since the effectiveness of valerian in the treatment of serious diseases is insignificant.

Due to its properties, valerian has found wide use in folk medicine. It is used for weight loss, treatment of migraines, gastritis, stomach ulcers, diseases of the eyes, skin, respiratory system, neurological pain, convulsions and even epileptic seizures. However, the effectiveness of valerian in the treatment of such conditions has not been scientifically proven and is only speculative.

In traditional medicine recipes, valerian is often used together with other medicinal herbs. For example, a collection from the rhizomes of valerian, St. John's wort, mint and chamomile is used as an anti-inflammatory agent. An infusion of valerian with dill seeds and honey is used to cleanse the blood vessels of the brain. Valerian with cumin, wormwood, millennial and calamus rhizomes is prescribed for the treatment of chronic gastritis.

Although such preparations have been used in folk medicine for a very long time, there is no scientific evidence of their effectiveness. In addition, valerian has quite a lot of contraindications and side effects, therefore, like any medicine, it should be taken carefully and only as prescribed by a doctor and after carefully reading the instructions for use of the drug.

How to use raw materials at home

Various valerian preparations can be bought at almost any pharmacy, and their prices are usually low. However, you can prepare a medicine from the roots and rhizomes of the plant at home.

Dried rhizomes can be crushed and made into a decoction for drinking. To do this, the raw materials are poured with boiling water and infused or boiled a little. The description of the technology for preparing the decoction may differ in different recipes.

You can also grind the raw materials into a fine powder and add alcohol. When prepared correctly, such a tincture can easily replace the pharmacy one. Prepare a tincture in a ratio of 1:5, that is, add 50 grams of ethyl alcohol to 10 grams of ground valerian root (approximately 2 teaspoons). The product should be infused in a closed glass container for 2 weeks.

Homemade valerian tincture.

Along with other herbs, dried valerian roots are sometimes added to scented pads. They are placed inside or under the main pillow for calming before bed. Valerian has a distinct odor, which is one of the components that provides its therapeutic effect. Due to its essential oils and scent, valerian affects the central nervous system, helping to calm down and fall asleep.

Note

Valerian essential oil is used in perfumery. The essence extracted from the rhizome has a distinct woody smell. It is added to cosmetic products along with essential oils of cypress, pine and lavender to give them forest notes.

Valerian decoction can also be added to the bath. The beneficial substances of the plant can be absorbed in small quantities through the skin. Sometimes it is recommended to add valerian to the bathing water of infants if the babies behave restlessly. The amount of the drug in water should be minimal. Valerian is contraindicated for children under 3 years of age, so it should not be used without indications or a doctor’s prescription.

Valerian is also used in cosmetology. It is believed to help cleanse the skin and improve its condition. A decoction of rhizomes can be used for washing or added to homemade masks.

Valerian is considered a fairly safe natural sedative and hypnotic. However, like any medicine, it has a number of contraindications and side effects. Valerian is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, children under 3 years of age, people with hypotension, atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke, inflammatory diseases of the kidneys, liver, intestines and some other diseases.

You should drink valerian only as prescribed by your doctor in recommended doses. The maximum single dosage is 2 tablets or 30 drops of tincture, and the daily dosage is 6 tablets and 100 drops, respectively. The course of treatment with the drug can last on average from 7 to 28 days, after which the use is stopped or taken a break.

Valerian Forte, also called yellow valerian due to the color of the tablets

Exceeding a single dosage or taking the drug for a long time can cause an overdose. This increases the risk of side effects. Valerian can cause drowsiness, apathy, and disturbances in the digestive system. Also, if used incorrectly, drugs can have the opposite of expected effects. They can provoke nervous overexcitation, insomnia, increased blood pressure and heart rhythm disturbances. Therefore, it is necessary to take valerian, including as part of home remedies, after consultation with a doctor and with full justification for such use.

Interesting video: how to prepare valerian roots

Rules for the preparation and use of valerian

Valerian has been known since ancient times. It was used as a mind cleanser, fragrance, and relaxant. Nowadays, valerian is used in both traditional and folk medicine. All parts of the plant have medicinal properties, but most of the beneficial substances are concentrated in the root. The healing herb has virtually no contraindications and is approved for use even by small children over 1 year old.

Valerian officinalis is a herbaceous perennial belonging to the Honeysuckle family. The erect, arched, grooved stems are from 1.2 to 1.8 m in height. Their branching occurs closer to the top, where the inflorescence is located. One valerian bush consists of several stems. Pinnately dissected leaves can be alternate or form whorls of 3–4 pieces.

The grass has a thick and short rhizome up to 4 cm long, no more than 3 cm thick. Most often it is hollow or has a loose core structure with partitions. Numerous roots, called stolons, up to 12 cm long and up to 3 cm in diameter, are directed in different directions from the rhizome; they are often separated from the rhizome and have a strong aromatic odor. A medicinal extract and essence with a pronounced spicy taste are prepared from them.

Small flowers up to 4 mm in diameter, white, pale pink or pale purple, have a funnel-shaped corolla with a five-lobed curve. Bisexual flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences. Flowering of the plant begins in the second year of life and continues throughout the summer. The plant produces fruits in the form of achenes, which ripen from August to September.

The Mediterranean is considered the birthplace of valerian. It grows in areas with temperate and subtropical climates; in Russia it is found in the European part of the territory. The grass prefers to grow in lowland meadows, in wetlands, and is found in peat bogs. Valerian is found along the banks of reservoirs and on forest edges. It is grown on plantations for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry.

​Sunflower root: beneficial properties, contraindications, recipes

2 Medicinal properties of valerian rhizome

Unlike other medicinal herbs, valerian does not have a main, pronounced active ingredient. All parts of the plant have medicinal properties, but in folk medicine the roots and rhizomes of the plant are most often used. It is in them that most of the essential oil is concentrated, containing about 100 active components that have a positive effect on the body.

Valerian essential oil contains the following substances:

• macro- and microelements;
• tannins;
• alkaloids;
• ketodes;
• vitamins;
• saponins;
• alcohols;
• organic acids and other useful components.

Most often, the plant is used as an antispasmodic and sedative. Valerian also has a healing choleretic effect and stimulates gastrointestinal secretion. Preparations created on the basis of valerian extract dilate coronary vessels well.

Dried valerian root

The main indications for the use of drugs with valerian are diseases of the nervous system: for insomnia, to relieve attacks of hysteria, for epilepsy, neuralgia, cardiac neuroses. Products with valerian are useful for relieving spasms, headaches and migraines, reducing blood pressure and relieving angina attacks.

Some valerian-based drugs, such as Valocordin or Cardiovalen, are prescribed along with other sedatives to prolong their duration of action. This treatment cannot be used for children, as it slows down their mental development and causes a state of apathy.

Licorice root: beneficial properties, rules of use and contraindications

2.1 Use of valerian preparations for women

For women, medications with valerian are prescribed to be taken during menopause to relieve fatigue and normalize sleep. They relieve irritability and improve overall well-being. Pregnant women are prescribed to take valerian in the form of tablets to relieve nervousness, as well as for cramps. Valerian tincture is contraindicated during pregnancy.

Women can take the drug, according to the instructions for use, in the form of tinctures, decoctions, or tablet form. If it is impossible to take the medicine in the form suggested, it can be replaced with a warm, relaxing bath with a decoction of valerian roots.

Rosehip root: beneficial properties and contraindications, application

2.2 Use of valerian for children

Valerian is prescribed to children for various nervous diseases, hyperactivity, apathy towards food, cramps in the stomach and intestinal tract. However, due to the powerful sedative effect, it is not recommended to take the drug without a doctor’s prescription or to exceed the dosage prescribed by a specialist. This causes depression in the child, allergic rash, drowsiness, developmental delays and digestive disorders.

Children under 1 yearGiving valerian preparations is strictly prohibited.

Children over 1 year old can be given no more than 1 drop of diluted tincture. When the child reaches the age of 2 years, the amount of the drug is increased to 2 drops and then according to the same scheme.

2.3 Effect of valerian preparations on men

The medicinal plant has only a positive effect on men, helping to reduce the intensity of muscle spasms, relieve exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases, and avoid nervous tension and overexcitability. The negative impact of valerian preparations on male sexual function consists only of drowsiness and decreased nervous excitability, which causes a natural decrease in attraction to the opposite sex.

3 Harvesting plant roots

Experienced herbalists advise collecting valerian roots in the fall, after the foliage turns brown and the seeds fly off. During harvesting, you need to be very careful not to confuse the brown rhizomes with the roots of other plants.

Having dug up the roots, they are cleared of soil and thoroughly washed with running water. For several days, the raw materials are dried with access to fresh air, and final drying is carried out in the attic or in the oven, setting the temperature no higher than +40 degrees. Prepared rhizomes are stored in dark glass or wooden containers, separately from other plants.

4 Homemade medicine recipes

At home, medicines are prepared from the roots and rhizomes of valerian in the form of decoctions, infusions and alcohol tinctures, which are useful for treating many diseases. Drug recipes:

Name	Preparation	Application
Infusion of valerian roots and rhizomes	Grind 10 g of dried roots and add 200 ml of boiling water. Simmer for 15 minutes in a water bath, then leave to brew for 2 hours and cool. After this, strain	Taken to normalize sleep and heartbeat, to eliminate vomiting and the consequences of vegetative neuroses. Take 1 tablespoon 4 times a day
Decoction of dried valerian roots	Grind 10 g of dry plant root to a particle size of 3 mm and add 300 ml of cool water. Heat the mixture in a water bath for half an hour, cool and strain	The decoction is used to treat vegetative neurosis, relieve seizures, stress, and normalize sleep. Drink the product three times a day, half a glass.
Decoction of fresh valerian rhizomes	It is prepared in the same way as a decoction of dry roots. Ratio of fresh raw materials and water 1:5	Used to treat neurasthenia and vegetative neurosis; to normalize sleep, take half a glass three times a day
Infusion of roots (1 option)	1 tbsp. l. crushed roots are poured with 1 cup of boiling water, placed in a thermos and left for 8 hours. Strain before use	The drug is useful for the treatment of tachycardia and chronic circulatory disorders in the coronary vessels. Drink 3 times a day. In the first 15 days, consume 1/3 cup, then 15 days, 2 tbsp. l., then 1 month 1 tbsp. l. After this, take a break for a month and take the course again
Infusion of roots (2 option)	1 dessert spoon of chopped raw materials is poured with 1 glass of boiling water and left to brew in a tightly closed container for 6–8 hours. Then the finished infusion is filtered	The drink is used to treat heart neuroses, skin rashes, including urticaria, eczema, neurodermatitis and psoriasis. The product is taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day
Infusion of roots (3rd option)	1 teaspoon of chopped rhizomes is poured into 200 ml of boiling water and heated in a water bath for 1.5 hours. After cooling, filter and add the volume of liquid to 1 glass with cold water.	The product is useful for treating migraines, eliminating gastrointestinal spasms, painful menstruation and poor health during menopause. The drink is consumed warm, half a glass in the morning and evening. To improve the taste, you can add a little honey
Decoction for bathing	Add 3 liters of boiling water to 100 g of raw material and leave to brew for 2 hours. Then strain and pour into warm bath water	It is useful to take such a bath at night; it has a slight calming effect, relieves muscle tension, tension, relieves the effects of stress, normalizes sleep and makes for a healthier night's rest. Take a bath half an hour before going to bed. This procedure is also allowed for children.
Valerian root tincture	Place 50 g of chopped valerian rhizomes in a dark glass jar or bottle and add 500 ml of high-quality vodka. Place in a dark place for 10 days. Shake contents daily	The tincture is useful for calming the nervous system, relieving headaches and stress. It does not cause strong sedative effects. The finished tincture is taken in an amount of 20 to 30 drops 3 times a day
Recipe 5 tinctures	This recipe uses ready-made tinctures purchased at the pharmacy. Tinctures of valerian, hawthorn, motherwort, peony and the drug Corvalol are mixed in equal quantities. The mixture is poured into a dark glass bottle	The resulting medicine effectively calms the nervous system, relieves heart pain and improves heart function, eliminates spasms of the stomach and intestines, and normalizes digestion. Start drinking the medicine with 12 drops, diluting the drug in 50 ml of warm water. Every day the amount of the drug is increased by 2 drops, bringing the total amount to 40 drops. The course of treatment ranges from 25 to 35 days

5 Contraindications

Most often, treatment with valerian root preparations is well tolerated by patients. But in the case of hypertension, their use causes the opposite effect of sedation. The person experiences an excited state, sleep disturbances, and possible nightmares.

Contraindications to the use of valerian-based medicines are:

• children under one year of age;
• enterocolitis in chronic form;
• individual intolerance;
• hypotension;
• cirrhosis;
• glomerulonephritis.

Since valerian-based products increase blood clotting, they should be taken with great caution in old age, especially if there is a predisposition to heart attacks or strokes. It is also worth considering the side effects observed when taking valerian preparations: drowsiness, decreased performance, and depression. With continuous use, gastrointestinal disorders may occur: constipation and, in some cases, hypersensitivity.

Valerian, medicinal properties and contraindications, which will be discussed in detail in the article, is often used to calm the nervous system. The pharmaceutical properties of this plant have been compared to powerful sedatives, since it has a cumulative effect and has an alkaloid-mineral complex.

Description of the complex and rich composition of valerian

Unlike other types of herbs, valerian does not have a main active ingredient, but still, there is one component - essential oil, which has the characteristic smell of this plant. The composition is an ideal combination of more than 100 biologically active substances, which together have a positive effect on the body.

The healing properties of essential oil lie in the combined action of such components as micro- and macroelements, alkaloids, tannins, ketodes, a complex of vitamins, alcohols (the main one is isovaleric), saponins, esters. In total, the roots and rhizomes contain up to 2% essential oil. It also contains formic, palmitic, malic, stearic and acetic acids, terpinoids, camphene, pinenes and glycochidic compounds.

General medicinal properties

The medicinal properties of valerian have a versatile effect, but most of all they have a depressant effect on the central nervous system and help reduce muscle spasms.

Drops in the form of an alcohol tincture are taken for:

• headaches;
• convulsions caused by brucine;
• nervous excitement;
• deep emotional experiences;
• rapid heartbeat;
• shortness of breath;
• asthma;
• coronary insufficiency;
• spastic constipation.

In folk medicine, the plant is known as a remedy against flatulence, worms and poor appetite. The crushed roots are brewed into powder and made into decoctions, which are used in the treatment of typhus, lung diseases, scarlet fever and headaches.

Important! Preparations based on valerian, for example, Valocordin, Cardiovalen, are used together with other sedatives to prolong their effect. This complex is absolutely not suitable for children, as it will contribute to slow development and apathy.

A useful infusion for washing the eyes of children and adults, as well as for general strengthening of the body. The effect of treatment occurs only with regular use, and not with a one-time dose.

The ancient people also knew about the properties of valerian; the plant extract was added to perfumes and attracted cats to it, which became intoxicated by the characteristic aroma.

For women

Rhizomes and roots have medicinal properties for women. The plant is used:

1. During menopause. During the period of restructuring of the body, insomnia and a feeling of fatigue are noted. It is valerian (tablets, decoctions) that helps improve sleep, relieve irritability and significantly improve overall health.
2. During pregnancy. During this period, any nervous condition and overstrain are dangerous for a woman, as this can affect the health of the unborn baby. The healing properties during pregnancy include an antispasmodic and sedative effect.

Important! Pregnant women should not take valerian tincture, since it contains alcohol; it is better to give preference to tablets or decoctions.

The use of drugs or decoctions of valerian root is recommended for women with anxiety, nervous excitement, stress, tearfulness, and insomnia. An alternative to internal use is a warm, relaxing bath with a decoction of the plant (7-8 tablespoons of crushed roots, brew in 1 liter of boiling water, infuse and pour out).

For children

A child’s insufficiently strengthened nervous system forms unstable behavior, excitability, restlessness and capriciousness. Doctors prescribe valerian to children for the following disorders:

• hyperactivity;
• neurasthenia;
• insomnia;
• food apathy;
• tachycardia;
• migraine;
• increased nervous excitability;
• spasms in the gastrointestinal tract;
• hysteria.

How much should children drink? Despite its plant origin, valerian is a powerful sedative, so it is important to follow the dosage instructions that come with pharmacy tinctures and tablets. Abuse of medications based on valerian roots can lead to depression, decreased performance, drowsiness, allergic rash, problems with stool, and developmental delays.

Important! Along with its indications, valerian has side effects from its use (inflammation of the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, individual intolerance), so treatment should be prescribed by a specialist.

Valerian herb is contraindicated for children under 1 year of age. After the baby has celebrated his first year, you can give him 1 drop, a 2-year-old child - 2 drops, and so on.

For men

The use of valerian root in medicine has not spared the stronger half of humanity. Moreover, for some reason the herb is considered a remedy that reduces potency. This is an erroneous opinion, since male strength directly depends on the concentration of testosterone in the blood, the production of which is not affected by valerian. On the contrary, the medicinal root is able to cope with the problems of cardiovascular diseases (tachycardia, arrhythmia), reduce the frequency of muscle spasms, and avoid increased excitability and nervous tension.

Valerian can only cause drowsiness and a decrease in nervous excitability, which can contribute to a decrease in sexual desire for the opposite sex.

Ways to use valerian root

Valerian root, which has medicinal properties and contraindications, has several uses:

1. Interior. Used for flatulence, nervous excitement, anxiety, gastrointestinal spasms, headaches.

Recipe No. 1 - 2 tsp. Brew crushed roots in 1 tbsp. boiling water To maximize the saturation of the liquid with beneficial substances, it is recommended to further bring the infusion to readiness in a water bath for 15 minutes. How to take? - 1 tbsp. l. up to 4 times a day on an empty stomach.

Recipe No. 2 - make a mixture of herbs from valerian rhizomes, yarrow (flowers), motherwort and anise fruits. Proportions: herbs 20 g, fruits - 10 g. Pour 1 tbsp. l. collection with 1 glass of boiling water, bring to readiness in a water bath for 20 minutes, let cool, strain, add more boiled water to the glass to replenish the original volume. How to drink? - 1/3 glass 3 times a day before meals. The decoction is recommended for use for heart problems.

Recipe No. 3 - for insomnia. This is a classic decoction, when 1 tbsp. l. pour 1 cup of boiling water over the raw materials and continue boiling for another 15 minutes. Next, leave for 40 minutes, filter and take 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day (children - 1 tsp.)

1. Aromatherapy (for insomnia). How to cook? Mix 100 g of crushed mint and valerian roots, place in gauze, inhale before bed or place near the pillow. The inhalation procedure can also be repeated at night.

Important! Valerian inhalations can lead to headaches after waking up in the morning; in this case, reduce the dosage of the herb, which is placed in a gauze bag, or reduce the number of times you inhale the aroma.

Aromatherapy can be carried out for up to 4 months without a break, but in this case, it would be useful to listen to the opinion of a doctor.

Contraindications

For people with diseases such as enterocolitis, hypertension, cirrhosis, glomerulonephritis and other liver diseases, the use of the root or rhizome is contraindicated. Elderly men and women, as well as those with drowsiness, should take the plant with caution.

For alcohol addiction

Valerian tincture, medicinal properties and contraindications, which were discussed in the article, are prohibited for use in case of alcoholism. The herb has the ability to depress the central nervous system, suppress nervous excitement, and its combination with alcoholic drinks leads to the development of depression, slow functioning of nerve cells, and pressure surges.

Valerian also causes harm to the stomach with regular consumption of alcohol. The combination of incompatible components leads to increased mucus production and an increase in alcohol toxicity several times.

Correct preparation

Valerian roots have medicinal properties, so they are the ones to be harvested. They are dug up in the fall, before the stems are shed, washed well in cold water, subjected to a light antiseptic treatment, dried in the fresh air and placed in a dry, well-ventilated room, for example, an attic.

Important! Harvesting roots after frost is not recommended, since the roots become intertwined near growing plants and also acquire the smell of valerian. Thus, it becomes possible to confuse roots that do not have medicinal properties; worse, they have toxins and poisons.

After going through all the stages of harvesting, the plant acquires a characteristic fragrant odor due to the release of bornyl isovaleric acid.

One of the most famous natural medicines is valerian root, a herb found everywhere in Russia. This part of the plant has many valuable properties, so “catnip” is cultivated to obtain dry raw materials with a high content of active components. It is stored for a long time and is used in the manufacture of herbal remedies for various indications.

Chemical composition and nutrients

The main difference between valerian rhizome is the recognizable unusual smell that the essential oil imparts. It has a sedative effect, helps get rid of seizures, and relieve nervous tension. The components also include:

• trace elements (iodine, iron, calcium, selenium);
• saponins, vitamins (especially tonic C);
• alkaloids, tannins;
• natural sugars, organic acids.

The components do not lose their healing power, no matter in what form the raw materials are stored - whole or ground into powder brown pieces of root.

Pharmacological action

The most well-known property of the Valeriana plant, due to which it gained popularity, is its calming effect. You can reduce anxiety, increase stress resistance, and restore restful sleep if you inhale the aroma or take baths with the infusion. You can eliminate pain caused by tension in smooth and striated muscles - in the arms, legs, back, uterus, and gastrointestinal tract. This is explained by the neuroregulatory effect of the components of essential oil, the most valuable substance contained in valerian raw materials. In addition, it helps:

• regulate the functioning of the heart by acting through the central nervous system;
• improve blood circulation, remove tachycardia;
• lower blood pressure, relieve symptoms of asthma, epilepsy, menopause (Bornean camphor, which is part of the juice, dilates blood vessels);
• get rid of some eye diseases;
• harmonize digestion and related processes, especially bile secretion;
• lose weight, reduce appetite, dull the feeling of hunger (the easiest way is to add the leaves of the plant to regular salads);
• increase immunity when taken as part of preparations - for prevention, treatment during epidemics;
• relieve syndromes accompanying manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia, manic-depressive state, radiculitis, migraine, thrombophlebitis.

Doctors note the benefits of alkaloids that normalize heart rhythm. They successfully reduce motor activity, relieve stuttering and convulsions when frightened. Therefore, products based on “catnip” can be prescribed to children.

Use of valerian root for medicinal purposes

This component of the plant can be bought at a pharmacy or prepared independently. Medicinal preparations are sold in press briquettes, boxes of powder, portions packaged in filter bags. You can purchase an alcohol tincture, a pack of tablets, dragees, or a specialized pharmaceutical. Experienced craftsmen planning to collect natural raw materials look for an ecologically clean area and go there from late August to early September, when the seeds fly around. It is necessary to be able to distinguish valerian from other herbs in the vicinity of which it often grows. To avoid poisoning, it is important not to mix dug up valerian rhizomes (they must be at least 2 years old, approximately 3 cm in diameter), which have long, sharp-smelling, bitter-sweet-tasting shoots, with components of other plants.

The blanks, cleared of impurities, must be washed with cold water, dried in the wind, and dried at a low temperature naturally or artificially. Place in thick cardboard boxes, glass jars, paper bags, then use as needed. Shelf life and intended use is a maximum of three years.

Normalization of sleep

One tbsp. Brew a spoonful of raw materials with a glass of boiling water, put on low heat for 10-15 minutes, drink fresh. This is a recipe for a classic decoction - herbal tea. You can combine its use with soothing baths (boil 10 tablespoons of powder in 1 liter of hot water for 10 minutes, then leave for 6 times longer), aromatherapy (put a pillow soaked in plant oil or stuffed with a mixture of valerian with hops and mint at the head of the bed) .

Elimination of spasms and pain

For 1 tbsp. l. raw materials, take 1 cup of boiling water, cook for a quarter of an hour over low heat, leave for 45-50 minutes. Strain, drink 3 times a day, 1 tbsp. l. for an adult, 1 teaspoon for a child. It comprehensively helps get rid of flatulence, migraines, nervous stress, and lower high blood pressure.

Normalization of blood pressure and heart function

An infusion of 1 tbsp helps. spoons of valerian root, poured hot water (about 500 ml) in a thermos and kept for 8 hours. You should drink it for 2 months three times a day: 2 weeks 45-55 ml, the same amount 30-35 ml, then 15-20 ml. If you initially reduce the dose to a minimum and take the drug a maximum of 3 times a day, it allows you to cure tachycardia, neuroses, skin diseases such as neurodermatitis, eczema (accompanied by itching).

Improvement of the digestive system

Pour 10 g of raw material into 300 ml of water, keep on fire for 15 minutes, cool. Drink 3-4 times a day. Helps relieve gastrointestinal spasms. Positive side effects - relief of well-being with a reduced reaction rate, menopause, painful periods, endometriosis, hypertensive attacks, rapid pulse, and other similar disorders.

Weight loss

An effective specialized - anorexigenic - remedy can be purchased at a pharmacy (for example, tablets of cryo-ground valerian of various releases) or prepared with your own hands. It is necessary to brew 10 g of rhizome with 1 cup of boiling water, hold for 15 minutes in a water bath, then leave for 2 hours. Strain, take 1 tbsp before each meal. spoon.

Strengthening immunity

Valerian roots should be mixed in equal parts with plant materials - linden flowers, oregano, coriander seeds, cudweed, lemon balm, motherwort, hop cones. Scald the teapot, pour boiling water over the mixture in it (1 full tablespoon per 0.5 l). Wrap the container for at least 1.5-2, maximum 8 hours. Drink fresh vitamin-containing liquid 2-3 times a day. A positive side effect is a harmonizing effect on the digestive system (if you add more dried fruit), lowering blood pressure.

Sedative

You can use a standard water (on an empty stomach, 1 tablespoon three times a day, course for at least several days, maximum two months) or alcohol infusion. The latter acts immediately and quickly, further dilating the blood vessels. Adult men and women can be given 15-20 drops, children - not infants, with the consent of the doctor - for as long as they are old. One of the manufacturing options is to keep 50 g of crushed raw materials placed in 0.5 liters of vodka in a closed vessel for 7-10 days, without lighting, shaking regularly. For any patient, the product must be greatly diluted, then it will act without harm, quickly relieving stress, fear, and nervous shock.

External use: pour into the bath a solution of 3 cups of crushed rhizomes, brewed with 1 liter of water and simmered for a third to a quarter of an hour over low heat. 10 minutes of relaxation is enough to stop signs of overexcitation, panic attacks, and reduce tearfulness and anxiety.

Eye diseases

In case of inflammation or dry mucous membranes, it is necessary to wash the sore spots with filtered valerian decoction. Another option is to make lotions mixed with eyebright infusion (before bed, when you can achieve complete relaxation). A side effect is improved vision with slight muscle fatigue.

Vessel cleaning

Mix 100 g of dill seeds and 50 g of ground valerian raw materials. Pour 2 liters of hot water. Leave to cool to 40°C, add 2 tablespoons of honey. Place in a resealable container, wrap in a towel, and keep warm for 1 day. Take 20 days after 10 (do two repetitions), 30 minutes before meals, 1 tbsp. spoon. Helps reduce pain, has a general healing effect in hypertension, atherosclerosis, varicose veins, and circulatory disorders.

Use in folk medicine

There are many ways to use valerian in specific circumstances, adapting recipes to produce the desired effect. People take traditional remedies prepared using standard methods, but calculate the dosage and select the principles of administration individually. According to reviews, you can:

• make sachets from dry herbal raw materials - sew mini-pads and bags with a certain amount of filler;
• drip oil onto radiators, place saucers with it on cabinets so that the healing, soothing smell spreads throughout the room faster;
• in the evening, inhale the aroma of the collection or alcohol infusion through both nostrils in turn (useful for chronic hypertensive patients, people with temporarily high blood pressure);
• brew valerian with regular tea (black, green), chamomile, hawthorn, rosehip berries, drink instead of capsules and tablets that do not have an effect.

Experimenting with instructions and medical recommendations for use is not prohibited if high-quality plant material is used. Its appearance and properties must correspond to the traditional description.

Harm and contraindications

Catnip has no clearly defined side effects, since it requires systematic, regular, and long-term use. The principle of its effect, like many other natural remedies, is cumulative. However, each person’s body reacts to the active components differently. Therefore, from the point of view of pharmacokinetics, the medicinal properties and contraindications of valerian cannot be standardized or characterized unambiguously.

It is necessary to stop using the herb if drowsiness, depression, slow reactions, nausea, constipation, headaches, heart pain, memory loss, problems with brain function, or unusual sensations appear. This applies to any form of herbal medicine - tablets, decoctions, extracts, flavorings. There is no need to give such products to animals, especially cats.

Alcohol infusions and solutions should not be taken by women during pregnancy (especially in the early stages of fetal development) and breastfeeding, infants, children under 3 years of age, those with hypotension (low blood pressure), individual intolerance to individual components, or allergies. People suffering from intestinal sluggishness, constipation, bradypsychia, hypertension, alcoholism, liver pain of unknown etiology, taking Valocordin and similar drugs with similar names should be careful.

One of the harmful properties of medicinal valerian is the ability to negatively affect the body, worsening the condition in case of serious overdose (for example, if you eat too many pills or drink infusions for a long time). The phenomenon is observed when bioactive components accumulate in the tissues of the body, then symptoms of pathologies that already exist in a person develop.

Corun rhizome plant photo raw materials herb description preparations tincture medicinal properties leaves flowers tablets

properties

Latin name Valeriana officinalis L.

In Russia, among the population, valerian is more often known as maunmyaun, cat root, cat grass. She received such names because of the inexplicable, at first glance, attraction of cats to her. This plant puts them in a state of strong excitement. How can we explain such strange behavior of animals? It turns out that valerian roots contain isovaleric acid, which is part of feline sex pheromones - special odorous substances secreted by cats during the mating season specifically to attract cats.

The healing properties of valerian have been known to people since ancient times. Doctors of Ancient Greece and Rome knew about the calming effect of the plant. Dioscorides (1st century) believed that it was capable of controlling thoughts, and Pliny the Elder classified it as a means of stimulating thought; Ibn Sina believed that it strengthens the brain. In the Middle Ages in Europe, valerian was revered as one of the most popular aromatic remedies. This is evidenced by such popular names as incense, earthen incense, forest incense. In Russia, valerian is one of the most popular medicinal plants. Even under Peter I, the industrial collection of its roots for hospitals began.^

Description

This is a perennial herbaceous plant with a short vertical rhizome bearing numerous cord-like roots, often with stolons on which daughter specimens are formed.

Root and rhizomes have a strong, distinctive odor. In the first year of life, a rosette of basal leaves develops, in the second - a stem.

The stem is erect, ribbed, hollow inside, 0.5-1.5 m tall, simple or branched in the upper part, cylindrical, grooved, glabrous or pubescent in the lower part.

Leaves slender, pair-pinnately divided with 3-11 linear-lanceolate, coarsely toothed leaves. The lower ones are petiolate, the upper ones are sessile. The basal leaves have long, slightly grooved petioles, the apical leaves are sessile.

Flowers small, pale pink, fragrant, collected at the top in thyroid or paniculate inflorescences.

The fruits are flat brown achenes with a tuft 1.5 times their length.

Blooms in May-August and ripens in July-September.

Spreading

R It is distributed throughout the entire territory of the European part; it is not found in the Far North and the deserts of Central Asia. This is a polymorphic species. The most famous botanical forms of valerian are: swamp, brilliant, Volga, shoot-bearing, Russian, tall, doubtful.

Habitats. It grows in a wide variety of environmental conditions: in forest and water meadows, peat bogs, along river banks, in steppes, oak forests, pine forests, in clearings and burnt areas. Cultivated in Eurasia and South America.

However, digging out small roots in dense turf is quite difficult. Therefore, it is easier to grow valerian in culture.
The All-Russian Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants has developed highly productive varieties “Maun” and “Ulyana”.

Growing

Valerian officinalis grows well in moist areas, but can also tolerate prolonged drought. The best soils are considered to be structural chernozems of light mechanical composition, as well as light loams.

Valerian officinalis requires soil fertility and moisture. The area should be well lit and sufficiently moist. For autumn digging, add 2-3 buckets of compost or rotted manure and 20-25 g of superphosphate per 1 m2. When stored, the seeds quickly lose their viability and should be used in the year of collection or the next.

Reproduction

Valerian officinalis can be sown in three periods: early spring, summer and before winter. The choice of period depends on the availability of free time. In the spring, sowing is carried out at the earliest possible date, but usually at this time of year all the energy is consumed by vegetable crops and there is no time left for medicinal purposes. Good results are obtained when sowing at the end of summer with fresh, just collected seeds. Before winter, valerian is sown in the Non-Black Earth Zone at the end of October-beginning of November in pre-made furrows, when the soil is already frozen.
0.5-0.8 g of dry seeds are sown per 1 m2, the depth of their planting is no more than 1 cm. The bed is regularly watered before germination so that the soil is constantly moist. Shoots appear on the 5-7th day. Further care: moderate watering, weeding and loosening the soil. To get large roots if the seedlings are too dense, you can thin out, leaving 10-15 plants per 1 meter of row, and transplant the rest of the plants somewhere. Before the cold weather, valerian manages to form a rosette of basal leaves and a well-developed root system.
In the second year of growing season, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is carried out in early spring. You can also use any fertilizers for flower crops that are currently sold in garden centers. Valerian blooms in June and produces seeds in July. But in order to get large roots, they carry out “topping” - the buds are cut off during budding. In this case, by the end of the second year you can get a good harvest of raw materials.
The seeds ripen slowly, within 30-45 days. As soon as the first ripe seeds appear in the inflorescence, they are cut off with part of the stem, tied into bunches and hung or laid out on a tarpaulin in the attic for ripening.
Advice. It is advisable to place Valerian in damp places near the fence or in the background of a mixborder, where during flowering it will not block anything. You should not place the plant in front of the windows of your home. The flowers have a peculiar smell that not everyone may like.

Valerian

Caring for crops consists of weeding, loosening the soil and fertilizing. During drought, moderate watering is necessary. In the second year of life, in the budding phase, peduncles are pinched, which contributes to a significant increase in the yield of rhizomes.

Chemical composition

The roots contain an essential oil of complex composition, alkaloids: valerine, hatinin, etc., glycosides, tannins, sugars, organic acids.

Active ingredients

The underground organs of valerian contain essential oil (0.5-2.4%), the main part of which is the ester of borneol and isovaleric acid, isovaleric acid, borneol, limonene, camphene, myrtenol, caryophyllene. In total, over 70 components were found in essential oil, many of which are contained in very small quantities. In addition, iridoids, alkaloids, valeopatriates, sugars, and organic acids were isolated.

Valerian officinalis raw materials

Rhizomes with roots are used for medicinal purposes. The best time to harvest wild valerian raw materials is autumn, when the stems turn brown. The dug up roots are cleared of soil, washed in running water without soaking, and laid out in a thin layer in a well-ventilated room for drying; In this case, exposure of the raw materials to sunlight should be avoided.
Attention! Do not dry valerian in a hot dryer. At the same time, the essential oil evaporates, which has a calming effect.

Application

Use in design

Valerian officinalis is an excellent ornamental plant. Its flowers not only delight with their beauty, but also attract beneficial insects that protect fruit trees from pests. It can be planted in flower beds and in the form of separate compositions.

Valerian flowers

Medicinal

Valerian has long been a well-known medicinal plant. Its name comes from the Latin valere - “to be healthy.”

In medicine, aqueous infusion of valerian, mixtures, and preparations from the roots are widely used. These are classic sedatives for states of nervous excitement and neuroses of the cardiovascular system.

Preparations from valerian increase bile secretion and secretion of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract.

Application in official and folk medicine

Valerian preparations are prescribed for diseases accompanied by nervous excitement, insomnia, and hysteria. The plant is widely used for mild forms of neurasthenia and psychasthenia, for menopausal disorders, vegetative neuroses, and neuroses of the cardiovascular system. Valerian preparations reduce the excitability of the central nervous system; the calming effect is slow but stable. In patients, the feeling of tension, increased irritability disappears, and sleep improves. The therapeutic effect of valerian is more effective with systematic and long-term course use, therefore the timing and dosage of drugs is prescribed by the attending physician.
Valerian preparations are prescribed to pregnant women for early and late toxicosis, and also as a sedative for neuroses during menopause.

Valerian is used to treat many other diseases. It has a beneficial effect in cases of dysfunction of the thyroid gland, is indicated for heart defects, migraines, asthma, promotes digestion, “warming up” the gastrointestinal tract. Valerian preparations enhance bile secretion and intestinal motor function, serve as a carminative and anthelmintic, soothe abdominal pain, and relieve spasms in the uterus. Even infants with abdominal pain are given 1 hour, a spoonful of aqueous infusion of valerian root.
This plant is used in medicinal practice in the form of simple herbal preparations, as well as as part of multicomponent infusions, tinctures and other complex remedies. Currently, the domestic pharmaceutical industry produces valerian tincture with 70% alcohol (1:5) and thick valerian extract (coated tablets), as well as complex preparations, which also include motherwort, mint, lily of the valley and hawthorn .

Valerian officinalis is a component of valocormid, valocordin, valosedan, corvalol.

Valerian

Use at home

There are many ways to prepare and use this plant. In Russia, hot infusion, tincture and powder of rhizomes with roots are more often used. To prepare the infusion 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of crushed raw materials into 1 cup of boiling water, heat in a water bath or in a thermos for 15 minutes, leave for 45 minutes and filter. Take 2-3 tbsp. spoons half an hour after eating. The infusion is stored in a cool place for no more than 2 days.

In Germany, a cold infusion of rhizomes with roots is considered the most effective as a sedative: 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of crushed raw materials into 1 glass of cold boiled water, leave for 12 hours and filter. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3-4 times a day before meals.
The tincture is prepared with 40% alcohol or vodka, in a ratio of 1:5. The roots are pre-crushed in order for extraction to proceed better. Leave for 7 days and filter. Take 15-20 drops 3-4 times a day. To obtain the powder, the raw materials are ground in a coffee grinder to a powdery state, then sifted through a sieve. The sifted powder is inhaled 1 g 3-5 times a day or taken orally 1-2 g per dose 3-4 times a day, washed down with water.

One of the components of the healing effect of valerian is the smell, so if you want your sleep to be sound and restful, then hang valerian roots in a gauze bag over your bed or put a few of its roots between the pillowcase and pillow. The volatile substances they release will calm the nerves, strengthen the heart, and increase health. You can simply sniff the powder from the crushed roots before going to bed.
For toothache, use a cotton swab dipped in an alcoholic tincture of valerian diluted with water to cover the affected tooth and gums on all sides.

Attention! With prolonged and excessive use of valerian, drowsiness, a feeling of depression, decreased performance and depression of general condition are possible.
In some patients with hypertension, valerian has the opposite (stimulating) effect and disrupts sleep.

Other uses

The use of valerian for cosmetic purposes is quite diverse and is based in most cases on its antibacterial and soothing effects. It is used for dermatitis, especially of nervous origin.

Based on the book Phytotherapy

Valeriana officinalis L., valerian family. Common names: aromatic, sore grass, cat's grass, cat's root, earthen incense, fever root, pink yarrow, meun. Valerian is a powerful perennial plant, reaching a meter in height. On the hollow ribbed stem there are oppositely arranged odd pinnate leaves of 11-21 leaflets. Small pinkish-white flowers are collected in apical umbellate inflorescences. We have several varieties that differ in the color of the flowers and the number of segments of the pinnate leaf, but in terms of their healing effects they are all the same. Blooms from June to August. Valerian grows both in damp meadows, along river banks, in damp forests, and on dry dams and wastelands, both on the plains and in the mountains. However, pharmaceutical raw materials are obtained almost exclusively from large specialized farms. The roots are dug up in September, washed thoroughly and, combing with a coarse comb, small roots are removed. The remaining roots are hung out to dry. The roots of biennial plants are richest in active substances. Only during the drying process do valerian roots acquire their characteristic odor. Valerian is effective for increased nervous excitability and spasmodic pain in the stomach and intestines “due to nervousness,” insomnia and neurotic palpitations. In addition to tincture or decoction, you can use industrially produced dragees containing the entire complex of active ingredients. valerian substances. The homeopathic remedy Valeriana is prepared from dried roots and is used for increased irritability, insomnia, headaches, heart neuroses, menopausal disorders and flatulence. Valerian wine also has good results. And baths with valerian have a calming effect and normalize sleep.

Aromatherapy

T herbaceous perennial growing in wet meadows, forest glades, along the banks of reservoirs, as well as in cultivated form in Eurasia and South America. A representative of the valerian family (Valerinaceae). The source of essential oil is roots and rhizomes in the spring growing season. To obtain 1 kg of oil by steam distillation, 100 - 120 kg of raw materials are required. The main chemical components of essential oil: pinene, camphen, terpineol, valeric acid esters, etc. Historical background. According to one version, the plant is named after the Roman emperor Valerian (3rd century AD). Even in ancient times, valerian was considered one of the most powerful psychotropic drugs for the treatment of diseases of the nervous system. Dioscorides considered valerian capable of controlling thoughts, Pliny - a means of stimulating thought, Avicenna - a means of strengthening the brain. At all times, valerian root was valued as a medicine that brings complacency, harmony, tranquility. Experimental and clinical data. Essential oil has a psychotropic, sedative, antispasmodic, anthelmintic effect. These properties of the oil allow it to be used for sleep disorders, insomnia, neurosis, stress, migraines, neurasthenia, neurocirculatory dystonia with high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, tachycardia. Application. Abdominal massage (5 drops of valerian oil per 10 ml of vegetable oil) is indicated for stomach and intestinal cramps. Dosage: for internal use - 2 drops per 1 teaspoon of honey; in baths - up to 10 drops; in aroma lamps - up to 4 drops. In case of overdose, overexcitation, headache, drowsiness, nausea, and heart rhythm disturbances are possible.

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On the damp soil of meadows and swamps, among trees and shrubs, in the last days of May, easily recognizable paniculate inflorescences of the medicinal herb - valerian - appear. The rhizomes with the roots of this amazing plant are the raw material for various sedatives and cardiac drugs.

Description of pharmaceutical valerian

A perennial herbaceous medicinal plant (of the family of the same name - Valerianaceae) can reach a height of two meters.

Its rhizome up to two centimeters thick penetrates vertically in moist soil to a depth of no more than three centimeters, and numerous thin root shoots sometimes grow up to half a meter in length. Medicine classifies these dried parts of the plant as sedatives. The medicinal properties of the rhizome acquire in the second year of the plant’s life, when it blooms and gains strength. At the same time, they have a specific aroma and a sweetish-bitter taste. The small rosettes of leaves that are characteristic of annual “cat grass” in the second year turn into imparipinnate, coarsely toothed at the edges, separate and opposite leaves with a sessile arrangement at the top of the plant and a petiole at the bottom.

The flowers of pharmaceutical valerian are most often small and fragrant, with a pale pink tint. Mother Nature collects them in apical corymbose or corymbose-paniculate inflorescences. The stem of valerian is straight, hollow, branched in the upper part of the plant. Biologists note that the “cat root” blooms from late May - early June to August, and active ripening of the fruits (oblong-ovate achenes with a feather-like tuft) occurs in July-September.

Features of wild and cultivated raw materials

In the wild, valerian does not form thickets suitable for industrial harvesting of the medicinal plant, so many enterprises prefer to cultivate plantations created by sowing seeds or planting small rosettes of valerian.

The rhizomes with roots of the cultivated high-yielding varieties "Cardiola" and "Mauna" are twice as large in size as their wild counterparts. Depending on the location of the habitat of the natural healer, they can be thin (in the northern regions) or have a larger size and fleshy structure, as in the southern ones.

What medicinal properties does “shaken grass” (valerian) contain?

Thanks to the rich chemical composition of valerian roots, which includes more than a hundred different active substances, prepared extracts, tinctures and decoctions from this help against many ailments.

Contained in the rhizomes of valerian is a wide range of aromatic oils, as well as borneol, various acids (isovaleric, butyric, acetic and formic) combined with alkaloids, nitrogen-containing alcohol, valerine, hatinin, sugar and glycosides, saponins, tannins and many other substances.

Properties of valerian and indications

What do preparations containing extract and crushed raw materials of valerian (rhizomes) help with? The roots of the herb are used to treat hysteria and neuroses, tachycardia, angina pectoris and convulsions (including epileptic seizures), various functional disorders of the coronary circulation, migraines and hypertension, insomnia and PMS pain. With the help of freshly prepared decoctions or infusions from this plant material, they relieve urticaria, psoriasis and eczema (taken externally and internally).

The beneficial effect of preparations from valerian officinalis (rhizomes with roots of which are used for aqueous and alcoholic extracts, the manufacture of tablets and cardiac medications) is known for defects (defects of the heart or large vessels), increased irritability, menopausal disorders, diseases of the liver and biliary tract, gastrointestinal spasms, inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Treatment of such a wide range of ailments, including preparations based on valerian, is effective due to its calming and analgesic, hypnotic and choleretic effects.

Valerian, widely known among the people, reduces the excitability of the central nervous system, improves the condition of the cardiovascular and peripheral nervous systems, and has a carminative and antispasmodic effect. In addition, (rhizomes with roots for which serve as plant raw materials) has quite powerful antiviral properties.

Dosage forms of produced herbal raw materials

On the shelves of pharmacies today you can find alcoholic tincture of valerian in bottles (25 ml), tablets with “cat grass” extract or dried roots of the medicinal plant.

Domestic manufacturers grind them in the form of small pieces or to a powder state, and then pack the resulting raw materials in cardboard packs of 30-100 g or in filter bags of 1.5 g, which are sold in boxes of the manufacturer of 10 or 20 pieces. Foreign pharmaceutical companies supply the market with capsules with freeze-dried valerian powder (rhizomes with roots), instructions for which are included in Russian.

Customers leave positive reviews of these imported analogues on the Internet, but warn that the price of an American drug from the Eclectic Institute (90 capsules) can be about 600 rubles, and a dietary supplement with valerian root from NOW Foods (USA) - 800 rubles for 250 capsules. Domestic medicines based on valerian root are significantly better in price, but at the same time they are not inferior in quality to foreign analogues.

Calming tablets "Valerian"

Rhizomes, the roots of which can be used to prepare decoctions and tinctures, serve as raw materials for home remedies. They are difficult to use for super-busy people who feel uncomfortable preparing and taking liquid medications at work or an event, on a business trip or on a tourist trip. It is much more convenient to purchase inexpensive ones at the pharmacy in the form of film-coated tablets and packaged in 50 pieces in a blister. Their dosage, regardless of the manufacturer, is 20 mg per 1 tablet. A sedative and antispasmodic drug is available without a prescription. It should be taken after meals, one or two tablets, no more than three times a day.

The indications and contraindications for this form of the medicinal product with valerian extract (the rhizomes and roots of which are the raw material for the pharmaceutical product) are the same as for tinctures, decoctions and other types of remedies from the medicinal plant. Tablets with an extract from the “cat root” will help calm people with increased nervous excitability and problems falling asleep (insomnia). They are often prescribed in complex therapy for malfunctions of the cardiovascular system or for spasms of various organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

Contraindications and restrictions

Tablets are prohibited for people suffering from hypersensitivity to the drug, children under 12 years of age, as well as pregnant women in the first trimester. The sedative effect of the drug should also be taken into account when taken by people whose professional activities involve increased concentration (driving a car, working with machinery, etc.).

In these cases, you need to limit your intake of valerian extract by consuming it at night. For people with high sensitivity of the nervous system to valerian, it is necessary to select the dose of the drug individually or even eliminate its use. Patients suffering from cholelithiasis and pregnant women (in the first trimester) should not use products based on “cat root”. If the infusion of valerian root is taken for a long time, drowsiness, depression, constipation, allergic reactions and deterioration in performance may occur. The same side effects occur with an overdose of the drug. Children under one year of age cannot use valerian root in treatment. Pregnant women in the second and third trimesters, as well as during the lactation period, can only recommend the drug for use by a doctor who will monitor the process.

Alcohol tincture of valerian

This pharmaceutical preparation is an extract of valerian roots, prepared in a ratio of 1 to 5 and filled with alcohol with a strength of 70%. It is prescribed for oral administration as a sedative (for adults - 15-30 drops after meals, but not more than three times a day).

Homemade alcoholic tinctures of valerian can be used for menopause, painful menstruation or as a sedative, but experts recommend paying special attention to the quality of alcohol or vodka with which the valerian roots are poured and their dosage (5 tablespoons of crushed cat grass roots pour 500 ml of alcohol , leave for 14-15 days). The tincture is drunk 20-30 drops (3 times a day) for 30 days, and then you need to take a two-week break if you need a second course of treatment.