Valerian medicinal properties. Valerian rhizomes with roots Description of the complex and rich composition of valerian

Phytopreparation with sedative effect

Active substance

Release form, composition and packaging

filter bags (20) - packs of cardboard.

pharmachologic effect

An infusion of rhizomes with roots exhibits a moderately pronounced sedative effect. The sedative effect comes on slowly, but is quite stable. In addition, the drug has antispasmodic properties.

Indications

Increased nervous excitability,; as part of complex therapy- functional disorders of cardio-vascular system, spasms of the digestive tract.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to valerian preparations, childhood(up to 1 year).

Dosage

3 filter bags are placed in a glass or enamel bowl, pour 100 ml (1/2 cup) of boiling water, cover with a lid and infuse for 15 minutes. The contents of the filter packets are squeezed out. The volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted with boiled water to 100 ml. The infusion is administered orally, 30 minutes after eating:

adults no1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day;

children over 12 years old- 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day;

children from 7 to 12 years old- 1 dessert spoon 2-3 times a day;

children from 3 to 6 years old- 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day;

children from 1 to 3 years old- 1/2 teaspoon 2 times a day.

Side effects

Drowsiness, weakness, decreased performance, with prolonged use - constipation. In some cases, allergic reactions may develop.

drug interaction

special instructions

During treatment, care must be taken when administering vehicles and occupation by other potentially dangerous species activities that require increased concentration of attention and speed of psychomotor reactions.

INSTRUCTIONS
on medical use drug

Registration number and date:

Trade name:

Dosage form:

Rhizomes with roots crushed

Rhizomes with Roots Powder

Compound:

Valerian rhizomes with roots

Characteristic
Valerian rhizomes with roots contain essential oils, the main part of which is the ester of borneol and isovaleric acid, free valeric acid, borneol, organic acids (including valeric acid), alkaloids (valerine and hatinin), tannins, sugars and others biologically active substances.

Description
Chopped rhizomes and roots. Shapeless pieces of rhizomes and cylindrical pieces of thin roots, yellowish, grayish and whitish brown, sometimes dark brown. The surface of the root pieces is smooth or slightly wrinkled longitudinally. The smell is strong, fragrant. The taste of water extract is spicy, sweetish-bitter.

Powder. Pieces of roots and rhizomes various shapes, yellowish-brown with whitish-brown, yellowish-white, light brown, brown, sometimes dark brown patches. The surface of the root pieces is smooth or slightly wrinkled longitudinally. The smell is strong, fragrant. The taste of water extract is spicy, sweetish-bitter.

Pharmacotherapeutic group

A sedative of plant origin.

pharmachologic effect
Infusion of valerian rhizomes with roots has a sedative and antispasmodic (in relation to the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system) effect. Facilitates the onset of natural sleep. The sedative effect comes on slowly, but is quite stable.

Indications for use
Increased nervous excitability, sleep disturbances, functional disorders of the cardiovascular system, spasms of the gastrointestinal tract.

Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to valerian preparations, children under 3 years of age.

Dosage and administration
About 9 g (1 tablespoon) of valerian rhizomes with roots are placed in an enamel bowl, pour 200 ml (1 glass) of hot boiled water, cover with a lid and heat in a boiling water bath with occasional stirring for 15 minutes, cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, filter, the remaining raw material is squeezed out. The volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted with boiled water to 200 ml.
It is recommended to shake the infusion before use.

3 filter bags (4.5 g) are placed in a glass or enamel bowl, pour 100 ml (1/2 cup) of boiling water, cover and infuse for 15 minutes, periodically pressing on the bags with a spoon, then squeeze them out. The volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted with boiled water to 100 ml.

Taken orally 30 minutes after eating. Adults - 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day; children over 12 years old - 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day, children from 7 to 12 years old - 1 dessert spoon 2-3 times a day, children from 3 to 7 years old - 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day day.

Side effect
Possible lethargy, weakness (especially when used in high doses), with prolonged use - constipation. In some cases, allergic reactions may develop.

Interaction with other drugs

The drug enhances the effect of hypnotics and other drugs that depress the central nervous system.

special instructions
With prolonged use of the drug in large doses, a decrease in psychomotor reactions is possible - care should be taken when driving vehicles, working with mechanisms, etc.

Release form
Rhizomes with roots crushed 30 g, 35 g, 40 g, 50 g, 60 g, 75 g, 100 g in cardboard packs with an inner bag.
Rhizomes with roots powder in filter bags of 1.5 g; 10 or 20 filter bags in a carton pack.
Instructions for use, folded inside the text, are enclosed in a pack or the text of the instruction is applied in full on the pack.

Storage conditions
In a dry, dark place; prepared infusion - in a cool place for no more than 2 days.
Keep out of the reach of children!

Best before date
3 years.
Do not use after the expiry date stated on the packaging.

Terms of dispensing from pharmacies
Without recipe.

Manufacturer/Complaint Receiving Organization
JSC "Krasnogorskleksredstva"
Russia, 143444, Moscow region, Krasnogorsk, md. Opaliha, st. Mira, 25

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Rice. 5.18. Valerian officinalis - Valeriana officinalis L.

Rhizomes with valerian roots- rhizomata cum radicibus valerianae
Rhizomes with fresh valerian roots- rhizomata cum radicibus valerianae recentia
Valerian officinalis herb– herba valerianae officinalis
– Valeriana officinalis L.
Sem. valerian— Valerianaceae
Other names: maun pharmacy, cat root, magpie grass, shaggy grass, maun, meow

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 at the bottom.
Leaves unpaired-pinnately dissected, the lower ones are petiolate, the upper ones are sessile. In the upper part of the stem is branched, bears corymbose-paniculate inflorescences.
flowers small, corolla white, pink or lilac, funnel-shaped. Stamens three, pistil one with lower ovary.
Fetus- a brown achene with a tuft (Fig. 5.18).
blooms from the end of May to August, the fruits ripen in July - September.

Composition of valerian

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The chemical composition of valerian

About 100 individual substances were found in the raw materials of valerian.

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

and also present

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

The raw material also contains

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, lowers its excitability;
reduces spasms of smooth muscle organs.
Essential oil of valerian relieves cramps;
valerian reduces arousal,
prolongs the action of sleeping pills,
has an inhibitory effect on the systems of the medulla oblongata and midbrain,
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 action of borneol on the vessels of the heart.
enhances the secretion of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract,
enhances bile secretion.

Valerian is an example when healing effect gives a total extract from the plant, while isolated substances do not have the corresponding effect.

The use of valerian

Valerian officinalis is used for various indications:

as a sedative in chronic functional disorders of the central nervous system,
with neurosis, hysteria and other neurotic conditions;
with epilepsy, along with other therapeutic measures, insomnia, migraine;
with neuroses of the heart and chronic disorders of the coronary circulation;
with 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

with neuroses of the stomach, accompanied by spastic pain, constipation and flatulence,
with 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 (sensation of heat, palpitations, etc.);
with menopausal disorders and a number of other diseases accompanied by sleep disturbance 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 therapy of obesity as an anorexigenic agent. By suppressing the hypothalamic centers of appetite, valerian reduces the feeling of hunger, suppresses appetite, and helps to endure food restriction.

As a rule, valerian preparations are well tolerated, but in some hypertensive patients they have the opposite stimulating effect, disturb sleep, and cause heavy dreams.

One of the components of the therapeutic effect of valerian is its smell, which reflexively acts on the central nervous system. Inhalation (through the lungs) intake of medicinal substances into the body is also possible.

Valerian Herb Uses

From the herb valerian, a water-alcohol extract is obtained, used in the production of soft drinks.

Spreading

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

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

Procurement and storage of raw materials

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Rhizome with valerian roots

blank. Harvesting of 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 is allowed in early spring before the start of the growing season, but at the same time, the quality and yield of raw materials are almost halved. The harvesting of raw materials in the farms is carried out with a special combine or potato diggers. Rhizomes with roots are cleaned of remnants of above-ground parts and earth, 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 out 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 cut 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, no. 2, Art. 77; Amendment No. 3 dated 11.03.97; 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. Shelf life of dried raw materials is 3 years. Freshly harvested 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 the rhizomes with roots, cut into pieces up to 20 cm long and dried. Air-shadow drying or in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 40 ºС. It is used as a raw material for obtaining a water-alcohol extract.

Standardization. TU 64-4-44-83 and Amendment No. 1 dated 10.04.88.

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

External signs of raw materials

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Rhizomes with valerian roots

Cspruce raw materials

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

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

Valerian herb

External signs

The raw material is 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 linear-lanceolate to ovate, entire or serrated.
Corolla funnel-shaped, pale pink flowers, 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.
Hypodermis cells larger ones, often with drops of essential oil.
Bark wide, consists of homogeneous rounded parenchymal cells filled with starch grains, simple and 2-5-complex, 3-9 (rarely 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 radiant 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;
G - a fragment of a transverse section of the root:
1 - epidermis; 2 - hypodermis; 3 - cells of the cortex with starch; 4 - endoderm; 5 - pericycle; 6 - phloem; 7 - xylem.

Powder

visible under the microscope

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

Numerical indicators of raw materials

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Numerical indicators Rhizomes with valerian roots

Whole Raw Material

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

Crushed raw materials

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

Powder

Extractive substances extracted with 70% alcohol, not less than 25%; humidity not more than 10%; total ash not more than 13%; ash, insoluble in 10% hydrochloric acid solution, not more than 10%; particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 0.2 mm, not more than 1%.

Numerical indicators Valerian herbs

Valerian-based medicines

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Medicines.

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

Valerian is a perennial plant that develops rhizomes and roots over the course of several years, accumulating 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 drugs.

Dried valerian rhizome with thin roots

Valerian root is used in folk and traditional medicine with 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 for health are 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 great importance have the quality of the collected raw materials and the conditions of its storage.

Valerian tends to accumulate in the body, so its effect does not appear immediately, but after a certain time. In order to benefit from the medicine, it is very important to use it correctly and prevent an overdose, because in this case the effect of taking valerian can be exactly the opposite of what is 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 beneficial substances are accumulated that provide a therapeutic effect. Valerian rhizomes are arranged vertically. In length, they reach 2-4 cm, and in width - no more than 3. 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 is from 1 to 4 mm, and the length is 10-20 cm.

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

On a note

The rhizome is a modified shoot of perennial plants that is underground, but shallow from the surface. As a rule, it grows away from the stem. The main function of the rhizome is to accumulate the substances necessary for the plant. Leaves, buds and adventitious roots can depart from the rhizome. Roots are vegetative organ plant, which performs the functions of fixing the plant in the soil, its nutrition, reproduction and other functions.

Outside, the roots and rhizomes are light brown in color, while inside it can vary from yellow to brown.

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

After drying, the mass of rhizomes decreases by 75%, and their color becomes darker. Also, dried raw materials become more brittle and begin to exude a strong specific odor. This is how it looks like in the form in which it is used for the preparation of medicines:

Collection and preparation of rhizomes

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

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

For example, the photo below shows a valerian bush:

Here is a hemp vine:

And here is the meadowsweet:

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

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

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

At the window sill, not flowers are formed, but small flower baskets of a light or rich pink color, as in the photo:

The flower baskets of the sapling are collected at the top of the stem in corymbose inflorescences. Baskets exude a light aroma, similar to the aroma of vanilla. The inflorescences of valerian and meadowsweet do not have such a smell.

Characteristic features of valerian rhizomes are their vertical position and strong smell. The rhizomes of the meadowsweet are located horizontally, and the rhizomes of the creeper are vertical, and outwardly they are very similar to valerian, but do not have the smell characteristic of it. If the rhizomes of other plants got in the process of collection, 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.

On a note

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

For the manufacture of medicines, valerian is grown on plantations. Cultivated plants have twice as many rhizomes as wild ones. 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 personal plots. Since the plant is moisture-loving, valerian grows best on black soil and dried peat bogs. Increase root yield correct application fertilizers.

Valerian plantation in Ukraine

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

In the wild, 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 season of harvesting, the rhizomes re-grow. 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 harvesting, the raw material is 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, for several days, valerian is hung in the shade on the street so that it can dry out. Then laid out indoors on a flat surface to dry completely. Every 1-2 days, the raw materials must be mixed so that it does not rot and does not 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 more intense smell.

As a rule, after drying, 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 about 3 years. If stored in linen bags, the essential oil will evaporate quickly and the valerian will lose some of its useful properties. For storage, the rhizomes can be left whole, ground, or even powdered, depending on how they will be used later. The ground root can be poured with alcohol and stored in the form of a tincture. It is important to choose the right ratio of medicinal raw materials and alcohol.

Benefits of Valerian Root

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

In valerian, 10 different valepotriates are isolated, 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 property of valerian to dilate blood vessels and influence coronary circulation is provided by glycosides and borneol. Organic acids provide a choleretic effect. Also in the plant extract, many macro- and microelements are released: 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 rhizome of the plant have medicinal properties. Its shoots and inflorescences are not used in medicine.

Valerian leaves have practically no medicinal value.

On a note

There are many versions of why valerian has such a 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 valerian is a mild sedative and hypnotic, to a lesser extent - antispasmodic. All these effects of valerian are indirect, by affecting the central nervous system. It also affects the functioning of the heart and contributes to the expansion coronary vessels, which improves coronary circulation and lowers blood pressure.

Pharmacological properties of valerian:

Sedative - reduces the excitability of the central nervous system;
Sleeping pills - normalizes sleep, accelerates falling asleep;
Antispasmodic - relieves spasms of smooth muscle organs;
Hypotensive - lowers blood pressure;
Cholagogue - enhances bile secretion and secretion of the 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 accumulates in the body. active ingredients. In this regard, the drug is most often prescribed in complex therapy, as an additional remedy.

The use of valerian in medicine

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

One of such complex preparations containing valerian and motherwort

In traditional medicine, valerian is used as a mild sedative and hypnotic for sleep disorders and nervous strain. Also, sometimes it is prescribed in the complex therapy of certain diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular systems and digestive tract.

Valerian is used for:

Sleep disorders and insomnia;
Psycho-emotional stress;
Spasmolytic pain in the digestive tract;
Spastic conditions of smooth muscle organs;
hypertension;
Violation of the coronary circulation;
Some diseases of the liver and biliary tract.

The expediency of using valerian in the treatment of the above diseases has scientific confirmation. However, her drugs are prescribed only in complex therapy. It is not recommended to use it as the main drug, since in the treatment serious illnesses the effectiveness of valerian is negligible.

Due to its properties, valerian has found wide application in folk medicine. It is used for weight loss, treatment of migraines, gastritis, stomach ulcers, diseases of the eyes, skin, organs. respiratory system, with neurological pain, convulsions and even epileptic seizures. However, the effectiveness of valerian in the treatment of such conditions has no scientific evidence and is only speculative.

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

Although such fees have been used in traditional 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 directed by a doctor and after carefully reading the instructions for using the drug.

How raw materials are used at home

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

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

Also, raw materials can be ground, turned into a fine powder, and poured with alcohol. With proper preparation, such a tincture may well replace the pharmacy one. A tincture is prepared in a ratio of 1:5, that is, 50 grams of ethyl alcohol are added to 10 grams of ground valerian root (approximately 2 teaspoons). The remedy should be infused in a closed glass container for 2 weeks.

Valerian tincture prepared at home.

Together with other herbs, dried valerian roots are sometimes added to aromatic pads. They are placed inside or under the main pillow for soothing before bedtime. Valerian has a pronounced smell, which is one of the components that provide its therapeutic effect. Including due to essential oils and the smell of valerian, it affects the central nervous system, helping to calm down and fall asleep.

On a note

Valerian essential oil is used in perfumery. The essence extracted from the rhizome has a pronounced woody smell. It is added to cosmetics together with essential oils cypress, pine and lavender for a woodsy note.

A decoction of valerian can also be added to the bath. Useful material plants in small quantities can be absorbed through the skin. Sometimes valerian is advised to be added to bathing water for babies if the babies are restless. The amount of the drug in the water should be minimal. Valerian is contraindicated for children under 3 years of age, therefore, it cannot be used without indications and a doctor's prescription.

Valerian is also used in cosmetology. It is believed that it helps to 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, it, like any medicine, has a number of contraindications and side effects. Valerian is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, children under 3 years old, people with hypotension, atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke, inflammatory diseases kidneys, liver, intestines and some other diseases.

You need to drink valerian only as prescribed by a doctor in recommended doses. The maximum single dosage is 2 tablets or 30 drops of tincture, and the daily dose is 6 tablets and 100 drops, respectively. The course of treatment with the drug can average from 7 to 28 days, after which the reception 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 provoke an overdose. This increases the risk of side effects. Valerian can cause drowsiness, apathy, and disturbances in work digestive system. Also, if used incorrectly, drugs can have the opposite of the expected effect. They can provoke nervous overexcitation, insomnia, increased pressure and impaired heart rate. Therefore, taking valerian, including as part of home remedies, is necessary after consulting a doctor and with full justification for such an intake.

Interesting video: how to prepare valerian roots

Rules for harvesting and using valerian

On the moist soil of meadows and swamps, among trees and shrubs in the last days of May, easily recognizable paniculate inflorescences appear. healing herb- valerian. Rhizomes with roots of this amazing plant are raw materials for various sedative and cardiac preparations.

Description of pharmacy valerian

Perennial herbaceous medicinal plant (family of the same name - Valerian) 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 processes 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 are acquired 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. Small rosettes of leaves, which are characteristic of the annual "cat grass", in the second year turn into unpaired, coarsely serrated at the edges, separate and opposite leaves with a sessile arrangement on top of the plant and petiole attachment from below.

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

Features of wild and cultivated raw materials

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

Rhizomes with roots of 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 healing contains "shaking herb" (valerian)?

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

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

Valerian properties and indications

What do preparations containing extract and crushed raw materials of valerian (rhizome) help from? Herb roots treat hysteria and neurosis, tachycardia, angina pectoris and convulsions (including epileptic seizures), various functional disorders of the coronary circulation, migraine and hypertension, insomnia and PMS pain. With the help of freshly prepared decoctions or infusions from this herbal raw material, they relieve the course of urticaria, psoriasis and eczema (taking 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 heart drugs) is known for malformations (defects of the heart or large vessels), increased irritability, menopausal disorders, diseases of the liver and biliary tract, spasms of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammation sciatic nerve. The 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.

Widely known among the people, valerian 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 material) has quite powerful antiviral properties.

Dosage forms of produced plant materials

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

Domestic manufacturers crush them in the form of small pieces or to a powdery 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 capsules with sublimated valerian powder (rhizomes with roots) to the market, the instructions for which are attached in Russian.

Buyers leave positive reviews about these imported analogues on the Web, but they 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 on the basis of valerian root significantly win 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 are uncomfortable at work or an event, on a business trip or a tourist trip, to prepare and take liquid preparations. It is much more convenient to buy at the pharmacy inexpensive in the form of coated tablets and packed in blister packs of 50 pieces. Their dosage, regardless of the manufacturer, is 20 mg per 1 tablet. A sedative and antispasmodic drug is dispensed without a prescription. You need to use it after meals, one or two tablets, no more than three times a day.

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

Contraindications and restrictions

Prohibited in tablets 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 administered to people professional activity which is associated with increased concentration of attention (driving a car, working with mechanisms, etc.).

In these cases, you need to limit the intake of valerian extract, using 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 exclude it. Do not use funds based on the "cat root" for patients suffering from cholelithiasis, pregnant women (in the first trimester). If the infusion of valerian root is taken for a long time, then drowsiness, depression, constipation may occur, allergic reactions and deterioration in performance. The same side effects observed in drug overdose. Children under one year of age should not be treated with valerian root. For pregnant women in the second and third trimesters, as well as during the lactation period, the drug can only be recommended for use by a doctor who will control the process.

Alcohol tincture of valerian

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

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