Editing Valerian (herb) (section)

===Traditional medicine===
[[File:ValerianEssentialOil.png|thumb|Valerian (''V. officinalis'') essential oil]]
Valerian is a common [[traditional medicine]] used for treating [[insomnia]]. Some sources describe its effectiveness for this purpose as weak, ineffective, inconclusive, or low.<ref name="drugs" /><ref name="ods" /><ref name="altrev">{{cite journal |vauthors=Leach MJ, Page AT |title=Herbal medicine for insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis |journal=Sleep Med Rev |volume=24 |pages=1–12 |year=2015 |pmid=25644982 |doi=10.1016/j.smrv.2014.12.003 |type=Review}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sateia |first=Michael J. |last2=Buysse |first2=Daniel J. |last3=Krystal |first3=Andrew D. |last4=Neubauer |first4=David N. |last5=Heald |first5=Jonathan L. |date=2017-02-15 |title=Clinical Practice Guideline for the Pharmacologic Treatment of Chronic Insomnia in Adults: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5263087/ |journal=Journal of clinical sleep medicine: JCSM: official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=307–349 |doi=10.5664/jcsm.6470 |issn=1550-9397 |pmc=5263087 |pmid=27998379}}</ref> Two meta-analyses concluded that valerian may improve sleep quality.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fernández-San-Martín |first=Maria Isabel |last2=Masa-Font |first2=Roser |last3=Palacios-Soler |first3=Laura |last4=Sancho-Gómez |first4=Pilar |last5=Calbó-Caldentey |first5=Cristina |last6=Flores-Mateo |first6=Gemma |date=2010 |title=Effectiveness of Valerian on insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20347389 |journal=Sleep Medicine |volume=11 |issue=6 |pages=505–511 |doi=10.1016/j.sleep.2009.12.009 |issn=1878-5506 |pmid=20347389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bent |first=Stephen |last2=Padula |first2=Amy |last3=Moore |first3=Dan |last4=Patterson |first4=Michael |last5=Mehling |first5=Wolf |date=2006 |title=Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17145239 |journal=The American Journal of Medicine |volume=119 |issue=12 |pages=1005–1012 |doi=10.1016/j.amjmed.2006.02.026 |issn=1555-7162 |pmc=4394901 |pmid=17145239}}</ref> A 2006 [[meta-analysis]] concluded that there was insufficient evidence to determine valerian’s effectiveness or safety for [[Anxiety disorder|anxiety disorders]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Miyasaka LS, Atallah AN, Soares BG |year=2006 |title=Valerian for anxiety disorders |journal=Cochrane Database Syst Rev |type=Systematic review |issue=4 |pages=CD004515 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD004515.pub2 |pmid=17054208}}</ref> Another meta-analysis found that valerian may be safe and effective for improving sleep and reducing anxiety and that inconsistent results in past research likely stem from variability in extract quality.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Shinjyo |first=Noriko |last2=Waddell |first2=Guy |last3=Green |first3=Julia |date=2020 |title=Valerian Root in Treating Sleep Problems and Associated Disorders-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33086877 |journal=Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine |volume=25 |pages=2515690X20967323 |doi=10.1177/2515690X20967323 |issn=2515-690X |pmc=7585905 |pmid=33086877}}</ref> 

In contrast, the [[European Medicines Agency]] (EMA) approved the [[health claim]] that valerian can be used as a traditional herb to relieve mild nervous tension and to aid sleep; the EMA’s  [[Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products]] recognizes valerian dry [[ethanol]] [[extract]] as a well-established herbal medicine for relieving mild nervous tension and improving sleep, based on multiple randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trials, expert reports, sleep-EEG studies, and traditional use demonstrating gradual improvements in sleep and mild nervous tension symptoms. <ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/valerianae-radix |title=European Medicines Agency - Find medicine - Valerianae radix |website=www.ema.europa.eu |access-date=2016-08-08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817081353/http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages%2Fmedicines%2Fherbal%2Fmedicines%2Fherbal_med_000015.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac058001fa1d |archive-date=2016-08-17}}</ref><ref>European Medicines Agency. ''Final assessment report on Valeriana officinalis L., radix and Valeriana officinalis L., aetheroleum''. EMA/HMPC/150846/2015. Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC), 2 February 2016, pp. 40–56. [https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-assessment-report-valeriana-officinalis-l-radix-and-valeriana-officinalis-l-aetheroleum_en.pdf Accessed 20 May 2025].</ref>

Germany’s [[Commission E]], the scientific advisory board responsible for evaluating the safety and efficacy of herbal substances, has approved valerian as an effective mild sedative.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Does Valerian Root interact with any drugs? |url=https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/valerian-root-interact-drugs-3573866/ |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Drugs.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-24 |title=Valerian root (Valerianae radix) |url=https://www.heilpflanzen-welt.de/commission-e-0367/ |access-date=2025-05-20 }}</ref>

Valerian has not been shown to be helpful in treating [[restless leg syndrome]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Bega D, Malkani R |year=2016 |title=Alternative treatment of restless legs syndrome: an overview of the evidence for mind-body interventions, lifestyle interventions, and neutraceuticals |journal=Sleep Med. |type=Review |volume=17 |pages=99–105 |doi=10.1016/j.sleep.2015.09.009 |pmid=26847981}}</ref>
==== Oral forms ====
[[File:A bottle of Valerian capsules.jpg|thumb|A bottle of valerian capsules]]
Oral forms are available in both standardized and unstandardized forms. Standardized products may be preferable considering the wide variation of the chemicals in the dried root, as noted above. When standardized, it is done so as a percentage of valerenic acid or valeric acid. For commonly used doses, valerian is [[generally recognized as safe]] in the U.S.<ref name="drugs" />

==== Adverse effects ====
Because the compounds in valerian produce central nervous system depression, they should not be used with other depressants, such as [[ethanol]] (drinking alcohol), [[benzodiazepine]]s, [[barbiturate]]s, [[opiate]]s, [[kava]], or [[Antihistamine|antihistamine drugs]].<ref name="drugs" /><ref name="Klesper">{{cite journal |vauthors=Klepser TB, Klepser ME |year=1999 |title=Unsafe and potentially safe herbal therapies |pmid=10030529|journal=Am J Health-Syst Pharm |volume=56 |issue=12538 |pages=125–38; quiz 139–41 |doi=10.1093/ajhp/56.2.125 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Wong">{{cite journal |vauthors=Wong AH, Smith M, Boon HS |year=1998 |title=Herbal remedies in psychiatric practice |pmid=9819073|journal=Arch Gen Psychiatry |volume=55 |issue=103344 |pages=1033–44 |doi=10.1001/archpsyc.55.11.1033}}</ref><ref name="Miller">{{cite journal |author=Miller LG |year=1998 |title=Herbal medicines. Selected clinical considerations focusing on known or potential drug-herb interactions |pmid=9818800 |journal=Arch Intern Med |volume=158 |issue=220011 |pages=2200–11 |doi=10.1001/archinte.158.20.2200 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

As an unregulated product, the concentration, contents, and potential contaminants in valerian preparations cannot be easily determined.<ref name="drugs" /><ref name="ods" /> Because of this uncertainty and the potential for toxicity in the [[fetus]] and [[hepatotoxicity]] in the mother, valerian use is discouraged during pregnancy.<ref name="drugs" /><ref name="Klesper" /><ref name="Wong" /> Headache and [[diarrhea]] have occurred among subjects using valerian in clinical studies.<ref name="drugs" />