Many herbs today have vague general warnings posted about them, because studies have not thoroughly been done concerning them.
You often see~~
do not use if pregnant
do not use if you take blood thinners
do not use if you have high blood pressure
do not use in small children
etc
and discuss with your doctor (but this is not always a valid statement since many physicians haven't got a clue)
Here is an up to date monograph on Valerian:
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Valerian.asp
Quote:
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, researchers evaluated sleep parameters with polysomnographic techniques that monitored sleep stages, sleep latency, and total sleep time to objectively measure sleep quality and stages [17]. Questionnaires were used for subjective measurement of sleep parameters. Sixteen participants with medically documented nonorganic insomnia were randomly assigned to receive either a single dose and a 14-day administration of 600 mg of a standardized commercial preparation of valerian (LI 156) or placebo. Valerian had no effect on any of the 15 objective or subjective measurements except for a decrease in slow-wave sleep onset (13.5 minutes) compared with placebo (21.3 minutes). During slow-wave sleep, arousability, skeletal muscle tone, heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory frequency decreased. ...
Can valerian be harmful?
Few adverse events attributable to valerian have been reported for clinical study participants. Headaches, dizziness, pruritus, and gastrointestinal disturbances are the most common effects reported in clinical trials but similar effects were also reported for the placebo [14-17]. In one study an increase in sleepiness was noted the morning after 900 mg of valerian was taken [14]. Investigators from another study concluded that 600 mg of valerian (LI 156) did not have a clinically significant effect on reaction time, alertness, and concentration the morning after ingestion [27]. Several case reports described adverse effects, but in one case where suicide was attempted with a massive overdose it is not possible to clearly attribute the symptoms to valerian [28-31].
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Here is another:
Quote:
Safety Issues
Valerian is on the FDA's GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list and is approved for use as a food. In animals, it takes enormous doses of valerian to produce any serious adverse effects.25 Valerian has shown an excellent safety profile in clinical trials.64.....There have been no reported drug interactions with valerian, and two studies found reasons to believe that valerian should not raise or lower the blood levels of too many medications.55,60 Nonetheless, there are at least theoretical concerns that valerian might amplify the effects of sedative drugs. A 1995 study was somewhat reassuring on this score because it found no interaction between alcohol and valerian.40 However, animal studies have found that valerian extracts may prolong the effects of some sedatives,41,42 and there have been some worrisome case reports suggesting that the combination of valerian and alcohol can lead to excessive sedation in some people.50 For this reason, we recommend that you do not combine valerian with central nervous system depressants except under doctor’s supervision.
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from
http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetCo...chunkiid=21879
both of these links are excellent resources.
Here is another source:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/valerian-000279.htm
This one goes into detail about paradoxical reactions. Since Valerian is sometimes called mini-Valium it has often been thought
to have some compounds that act like benzodiazepines. This family of drugs does cause paradoxical excitation in a rare group of people with mental disorders.
Quote:
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) gives valerian a class 1 safety rating, which indicates that it is a safe herb with a wide dosage range.
Nevertheless, some people have a "paradoxical reaction" to valerian. This means that instead of feeling calm or sleepy, they suddenly feel nervous, anxious, and restless after they take valerian and may experience palpitations (a feeling of a racing heart).
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This website is also very good and has an overview explaining herbs:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/h...ine-000351.htm
and
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ general index
Herbs are mini-drugs, and should be approached with that in mind. Use on a very reputable supplier, as contaminants are common.
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All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.-- Galileo Galilei
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Weezie looking at petunias 8.25.2017
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