Valerian is an effective remedy for nervous system complaints and was famously put to use in the second world war as a treatment for shell shocked soldiers.
Botanical Name: Valeriana officinalis
Family: Valerianaceae
Parts Used: Root and rhizome
Flowering Period: June – August
Constituents: volatile oil (borneol, camphene, valerenic acid), alkaloids, iridoid valepotriates, flavonoids, lignans
Medicinal Actions: anxiolytic, sedative, hypnotic, spasmolytic, carminative, anodyne, hypotensive, nervine
Uses: insomnia, anxiety, dysmenorrhoea, intestinal colic, hypertension
Therapeutic Dosage: Decoction 1-3g, three times a day. Tincture: 1:5, (70% alcohol) 3-5ml three times a day.
Contraindications: other sedative drugs.