Grounding Valerian
For thousands of years, valerian (valeriana officinalis) has been a valued medicine. It’s long history spans generations and dates as far back as Dioscorides and Hippocrates.
It’s an enigmatic plant; once used in “love and sleep potions.” When seeking the truth behind secrets, valerian was thought to help access hidden knowledge, whilst also used to aid creativity.
Valerian still carries a certain degree of mystery, even today. Some herbalists approach this plant with caution in certain people due to its hypnotic qualities. Other herbalists consider it a plant that supplies unwavering support for most people – it’s particularly helpful when ‘grounding’ is needed during times of emotional turbulence.
During both world wars, valerian was used to calm the frazzled or ‘shell shocked’ nerves of soldiers. For civilians, valerian tablets were given to people living under the threat of nightly bombings.
Valerian towers in a garden giving rise to umbels of pale-pink, delicate flowers. However, it’s the roots that are the source of it’s medical benefits. The roots have a well-known pungent smell, described by some as “dirty socks” and legend has it valerian was used by the Pied Piper to lure the rats away from the town. In it’s tincture form (aqueous-alcoholic preparation), valerian is aromatic, warming and sweet in taste.
Similar to catnip, valerian is a cat magnet!
Medicinal qualities
Medicinally, valerian root is highly esteemed by herbalists to calm nervous tension in people, reduce irritability and improve sleep.
Common indications for valerian are anxiety with heart palpitations, pain, insomnia, panic attacks and high blood pressure (as part of a complete anti-hypertensive formula).
Valerian’s exact mechanism of action in the body isn’t fully understood but its relaxing properties work on two levels – body and mind.
Mind: It is thought that valerian enhances GABA transmission (a calming neurotransmitter) in the central nervous system. GABA receptors are the target for benzodiazepines, a class of drugs used for anxiety and insomnia. GABA is also involved in sleep regulation, though there are many neurotransmitters and hormones working together to induce sleep and wakefulness. Find my article on sleep here.
Body: Valerian is antispasmodic which means it relaxes muscles in the body. It relaxes smooth muscle which lines the organs, for example, around the gut, uterus and blood vessels. But it also relaxes skeletal muscles, like those holding your neck and shoulders up or those leading up into the skull and jaw.
Tension headaches
Valerian is excellent for tension headaches as it relaxes both the neck muscles and calms a hypervigilant mind at the same time. Tension headaches are often caused by stress with resultant muscle contraction. If skeletal neck muscles are relaxed, blood can flow more easily through your vessels delivering enough oxygen to the brain easing headaches. During a headache, blood vessels may also contract or dilate in the head, and nerves become aggravated. Valerian relaxes the smooth muscle around these blood vessels and calms the aggravated nerves by promoting GABA transmission (a calming neurotransmitter).
Valerian always comes to mind for treating people who have clenched jaws, tight fists or who hold general tension in their muscles.
Period pain
Period pain is caused by the contraction of smooth muscle in the uterus instigated by inflammatory cells (prostaglandins). This is a necessary process for menstruation to take place - the monthly shedding of the uterine lining. The contractions of smooth muscle can result in reduced blood flow in the pelvis - and increased sensitivity in nerve endings causing pain. Valerian relaxes the uterine muscle and opens the way for blood to flow, easing the pain and congestion. Ginger does a similar thing by stimulating circulation in the abdomen.
High blood pressure
Hypertension can be caused by stress or dysfunctional blood vessel linings which lose elasticity and don’t dilate or contract as needed to regulate pressure in the vessels. Valerian is used with other plants in an anti-hypertensive formula to relax the layer of smooth muscle surrounding blood vessels. Relaxed blood vessels can dilate more readily lowering the pressure in them.
Insomnia and anxiety
Valerian often forms part of a sleep mix with hops and other plants such as wild lettuce, lemon balm, passion flower or skullcap. They work synergistically to improve sleep. Clinical trials have shown that valerian subjectively improves sleep quality and lower periods of wakefulness. In another study valerian showed to be equipotent to oxazepam, a benzodiazepine used for anxiety and insomnia. Though, valerian’s efficacy is related to consistent use over several weeks and in combination with complementary herbs, particularly hops. Herbs are not chosen singularly for a particular complaint. Instead, a few herbs work synergistically over time to nudge the body into a new pattern of functioning.
Energetics
Valerian has a warming, aromatic energetic quality which can be stimulating for some people, having the opposite intended effect. Some herbalists consider valerian to be contraindicated in “pitta” or hot constitutions; high-energy people with red, flushed faces or a rapid bounding pulse.
All of the necessary factors, including dose, are considered by medical herbalists before prescribing valerian to people.
Valerian’s molecules
The exact mechanism of action of valerian is not fully understood. This is not surprising considering it contains thousands of constituents all working together in another complex environment, the human body. However, through research certain constituents have been isolated and tested for activity and efficacy. Herbalists generally stand by the principle of using whole plant extracts (versus isolating single molecules) for synergy, efficacy and to avoid side effects.
Valerian contains;
1. Iridoids known as the valepotriates
2. Essential oil (borneol mainly)
3. Sesquiterpenes known as valerenic acid and its derivatives
4. Flavonoids: hesperidin and linarin
5. Amino acids and low-levels of GABA
6. Actinidine (the cat magnet pheromone)
It was once thought that valerian’s anxiolytic and sedative effects were due to its essential oils. Now, valerenic acid and the valeprotriates have been identified to be largely responsible, not ignoring that many other constituents present in valerian could play a role.
Valerian’s molecules interact with 5-HT receptors which are associated with anxiety and our circadian rhythm (our hormonal sleep-wake cycle). They also impact adenosine, a chemical that naturally builds up in the brain during the day and eventually makes you feel sleepy at night.
It’s flavonoids, hesperidin and linarin, showed sedative effects by binding to benzodiazepine receptor sites. However, these flavonoids are not readily absorbed in the gut so their role is still under question.
I could not do without valerian in my dispensary. I hope this article has shed some light on how one herb can be diversely useful. May valerian be valued for future generations to come; cats included!
REFERENCES
1. Bruni, O., Ferini-Strambi, L., Giacomoni, E., & Pellegrino, P. (2021). Herbal Remedies and Their Possible Effect on the GABAergic System and Sleep. Nutrients, 13(2), 530. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020530
2. Bone, K., & Mills, S. (2013). Principles and practice of phytotherapy. Churchill Livingstone.
3. López-Liria, R., Torres-Álamo, L., Vega-Ramírez, F., García-Luengo, A., Aguilar-Parra, J., Trigueros-Ramos, R., & Rocamora-Pérez, P. (2021). Efficacy of Physiotherapy Treatment in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health, 18(15), 7832. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18157832
4. General Practice Notebook. Aetiology tension headache. Gpnotebook.com. (2022). Retrieved 20 July 2022, from https://gpnotebook.com/simplepage.cfm?ID=2033516560&linkID=32825.
5. Kennedy, D., & Wightman, E. (2011). Herbal Extracts and Phytochemicals: Plant Secondary Metabolites and the Enhancement of Human Brain function. Advances In Nutrition, 2(1), 32-50. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.110.000117
6. European Medicines Agency. (2022). Retrieved 20 July 2022, from https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/superseded-assessment-report-valeriana-officinalis-l-radix_en.pdf.
