Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Literatus: Purple garden shrub By Zosimo T. Literatus, R.M.T. Breakthroughs
GREEK physician Hippocrates observed: “Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”
Valerian, the most studied herb for insomnia, has promised a less dangerous option over sedative drugs.
Valeriana officinalis (common valerian, garden heliotrope) is the official medicinal species of valerian. Monograph for valerian root has been part of the European pharmacopoeia since 2002. It is a perennial shrub native to Europe and northern Asia with small sweet-smelling white or pinkish flowers.
Its roots, the medicinal part, are thick and acrid smelling.
The compounds found in valerian are well documented — valepotriates, gamma-aminobutyric acid (Gaba) and valerenic acid (found in its volatile oil).
Lab studies observed though that valepotriates decompose on storage and processing. Standardized products in Australia contains up to 6.32 mg/g of valerenic acid. Nonstandardized products have only up to 3.56 mg/g. Valepotriates were not detected in any.
The fourth edition of the European pharmacopoeia recorded the longest trial to-date involving 121 patients, receiving aqueous extracts of 600 mg valerian root one hour before bedtime for 28 days. Around 56 percent noted significant improvement.
The largest trial of 128 volunteers receiving aqueous extract of 400 mg valerian root. Results show significant reduction of sleep waiting period and improved sleep quality, markedly among poor or irregular sleepers. Both studies are placebo-compared. Another trial indicates that 600 mg valerian root extract was as sedating as the lowest dose of the minor tranquilizer oxazepam (10mg).
So far, Gaba and valerenic acid are mostly associated with sedative effects.
Gaba is a chemical transmitter that prevents signals towards the brain. Its increased concentrations in the brain are linked with decreased central nervous system activity.
Valerenic acid appeared to inhibit the activity of enzymes that break down Gaba, allowing it to prevent nerve signals from arousing the brain, thus, its sedating effect.
Safety studies noted valerian to have more favorable adverse effect profile than benzodiazepines. Long-term study is not yet available. The European Medicines Evaluation Agency advised intake of valerian must be at least two hours before driving a car or operating machinery. No drug interactions have been tried but it may make more potent the effects of sedative medicines.
Nonetheless, as Ralph Waldo Emerson would say in his essay Resources: “Health is the first muse, and sleep is the condition to produce it.”
