Dr.Richard Firshein

Valerian has been utilized to manage nervousness and sleeplessness for thousands of years in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines. It's a large perennial plant native to South Asia and North America.

Valerian is a natural treatment for insomnia. Indeed, valerian works in a similar fashion to Valium, by stimulating GABA receptors in the brain-without the side effects. Probably the only downside of taking valerian root is its distinctive smell of old socks.

Of the two hundred species of valerian, the most common is Valeriana officinalis, which flourishes all over Europe. Prescribed by the Greek physician Galen as a treatment for insomnia, by the eighteenth century, it was also established as a digestive aid, and today it is still heralded as a sedative. Valerian also seems to reduce night-time awakenings. One double-blind study found that 89 percent of subjects treated with valerian reported improved sleep.

In 1989, Drs. J. Holzl and P. Godau of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology in Marburg, Germany, discovered that valerian binds to the exact same brain receptors as benzodiazepines but works more gently. This milder action is the key to its efficacy, however, since it improves sleep in the same way without the same potential for addiction, withdrawal, or side effects. Valerian can also be quite beneficial in managing anxiety, especially since treatments that improve sleep tend to alleviate anxiety.

The German Commission E reports no side effects or contraindications to valerian. I have not found it to be useful as an adjunctive treatment for acute cases of insomnia; however, with persistent use, benefits seem to accumulate. Particularly potent when combined with other calming herbs like St. John's wort, or passionflower, valerian proves that good health can return when you get a good night's sleep.

"The Nutraceutical Revolution" Richard Firshein D.O.

by Dr. Richard Firshein