home Audience 12 Fs rhizomes with valerian roots. General medicinal properties. Elimination of spasms and pain

Fs rhizomes with valerian roots. General medicinal properties. Elimination of spasms and pain

On the damp soil of meadows and swamps, among trees and shrubs, in the last days of May, easily recognizable paniculate inflorescences of the medicinal herb - valerian - appear. Rhizomes with roots of this amazing plant are raw materials for various sedatives and cardiac drugs.

Description of pharmaceutical valerian

A perennial herbaceous medicinal plant (of the family of the same name - Valerianaceae) can reach a height of two meters.

Its rhizome, up to two centimeters thick, penetrates vertically in moist soil to a depth of no more than three centimeters, and numerous thin root shoots sometimes grow up to half a meter in length. Medicine classifies these dried parts of the plant as sedatives. The medicinal properties of the rhizome acquire in the second year of the plant’s life, when it blooms and gains strength. At the same time, they have a specific aroma and a sweetish-bitter taste. The small rosettes of leaves that are characteristic of annual “cat grass” in the second year turn into imparipinnate, coarsely toothed at the edges, separate and opposite leaves with a sessile arrangement at the top of the plant and a petiole at the bottom.

The flowers of pharmaceutical valerian are most often small and fragrant, with a pale pink tint. Mother Nature collects them in apical corymbose or corymbose-paniculate inflorescences. The stem of valerian is straight, hollow, branched in the upper part of the plant. Biologists note that the “cat root” blooms from late May - early June to August, and active ripening of the fruits (oblong-ovoid achenes with a feather-like tuft) occurs in July-September.

Features of wild and cultivated raw materials

IN wildlife Valerian does not form thickets suitable for industrial harvesting of the medicinal plant, so many enterprises prefer to cultivate plantations created by sowing seeds or planting small rosettes of valerian.

The rhizomes with roots of the cultivated high-yielding varieties "Cardiola" and "Mauna" are twice as large in size as their wild counterparts. Depending on the location of the habitat of the natural healer, they can be thin (in the northern regions) or have a larger size and fleshy structure, as in the southern ones.

What medicinal properties does “shaken grass” (valerian) contain?

Thanks to the rich chemical composition of valerian roots, which includes more than a hundred different active substances, extracts, tinctures and decoctions prepared from this plant material help against many ailments.

Contained in the rhizomes of valerian is a wide range of aromatic oils, as well as borneol, various acids (isovaleric, butyric, acetic and formic) combined with alkaloids, nitrogen-containing alcohol, valerine, hatinin, sugar and glycosides, saponins, tannins and many other substances.

Properties of valerian and indications

What do preparations containing extract and crushed raw materials of valerian (rhizomes) help with? The roots of the herb are used to treat hysteria and neuroses, tachycardia, angina pectoris and convulsions (including epileptic seizures), various functional disorders of the coronary circulation, migraine and hypertension, insomnia and PMS pain. With the help of freshly prepared decoctions or infusions from this, they alleviate the course of urticaria, psoriasis and eczema (taken externally and internally).

The beneficial effect of preparations from valerian officinalis (rhizomes with roots of which are used for aqueous and alcoholic extracts, the manufacture of tablets and cardiac medicines) is known for defects (defects of the heart or large vessels), increased irritability, menopausal disorders, liver diseases and biliary tract, spasms of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Treatment is so wide range ailments, including preparations based on valerian, occurs effectively due to its calming and analgesic, hypnotic and choleretic effects.

Valerian, widely known among the people, reduces the excitability of the central nervous system, improves the condition of the cardiovascular and peripheral nervous systems, and has a carminative and antispasmodic effect. In addition, (rhizomes with roots for which serve as plant raw materials) has quite powerful antiviral properties.

Dosage forms of produced herbal raw materials

On the shelves of pharmacies today you can find alcoholic tincture of valerian in bottles (25 ml), tablets with “cat grass” extract or dried roots medicinal plant.

Domestic manufacturers grind them in the form of small pieces or to a powder state, and then pack the resulting raw materials in cardboard packs of 30-100 g or in filter bags of 1.5 g, which are sold in boxes of the manufacturer of 10 or 20 pieces. Foreign pharmaceutical companies supply the market with capsules with freeze-dried valerian powder (rhizomes with roots), instructions for which are included in Russian.

Reviews of these imported analogues buyers leave positive reviews online, but warn that the price of an American drug from Eclectic Institute (90 capsules) can be about 600 rubles, and a dietary supplement with valerian root from NOW Foods (USA) - 800 rubles for 250 capsules. Domestic medicines based on valerian root are significantly better in price, but at the same time they are not inferior in quality to foreign analogues.

Calming tablets "Valerian"

Rhizomes, the roots of which can be used to prepare decoctions and tinctures, serve as raw materials for home remedies. They are difficult to use for super-busy people who feel uncomfortable preparing and taking liquid medications at work or an event, on a business trip or on a tourist trip. It is much more convenient to purchase inexpensive ones at the pharmacy in the form of film-coated tablets and packaged in 50 pieces in a blister. Their dosage, regardless of the manufacturer, is 20 mg per 1 tablet. A sedative and antispasmodic drug is available without a prescription. It should be taken after meals, one or two tablets, no more than three times a day.

Indications and contraindications for this form of the medicinal product with valerian extract (the rhizomes and roots of which are the raw material for pharmaceutical product) are the same as for tinctures, decoctions and other types of remedies from medicinal plants. Tablets with an extract from the “cat root” will help calm people with increased nervous excitability and problems falling asleep (insomnia). They are often prescribed in complex therapy malfunctions of cardio-vascular system or with spasms of various organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

Contraindications and restrictions

Tablets are prohibited for people suffering from hypersensitivity to the drug, children under 12 years of age, as well as pregnant women in the first trimester. The sedative effect of the drug should also be taken into account when administered to people professional activity which are associated with increased concentration (driving a car, working with machinery, etc.).

In these cases, you need to limit your intake of valerian extract by consuming it at night. For people with high sensitivity of the nervous system to valerian, it is necessary to select the dose of the drug individually or even eliminate its use. Patients suffering from cholelithiasis and pregnant women (in the first trimester) should not use products based on “cat root”. If you take the infusion of valerian root for a long time, you may experience drowsiness, depression, constipation, allergic reactions and deterioration in performance. The same side effects occur with an overdose of the drug. Children under one year of age cannot use valerian root in treatment. Pregnant women in the second and third trimesters, as well as during the lactation period, can only recommend the drug for use by a doctor who will monitor the process.

Alcohol tincture of valerian

The pharmaceutical drug is an extract of valerian roots, prepared in a ratio of 1 to 5 and filled with alcohol with a strength of 70%. It is prescribed for oral administration as a sedative (for adults - 15-30 drops after meals, but not more than three times a day).

Homemade alcoholic tinctures of valerian can be used for menopause, painful menstruation or as a sedative, but experts recommend using Special attention on the quality of alcohol or vodka with which valerian roots are poured and their dosage (5 tablespoons of crushed cat grass roots, pour 500 ml of alcohol, leave for 14-15 days). Drink the tincture 20-30 drops (3 times a day) for 30 days, and then you need to take a two-week break if necessary. repeat course treatment.

Latin name Valeriana officinalis L.

In Russia, among the population, valerian is more often known as maunmyaun, cat root, cat grass. She received such names because of the inexplicable, at first glance, attraction of cats to her. This plant puts them in a state of strong excitement. How can we explain such strange behavior of animals? It turns out that valerian roots contain isovaleric acid, which is part of feline sex pheromones - special odorous substances secreted by cats during the mating season specifically to attract cats.

Family Valerianaceae - Valerianaceae

The healing properties of valerian have been known to people since ancient times. Doctors already knew about the calming effect of the plant. Ancient Greece and Rome. Dioscorides (1st century) believed that it was capable of controlling thoughts, and Pliny the Elder classified it as a means of stimulating thought; Ibn Sina believed that it strengthens the brain. In the Middle Ages in Europe, valerian was revered as one of the most popular aromatic remedies. People like her talk about it popular names, like incense, earth incense, forest incense. In Russia, valerian is one of the most popular medicinal plants. Even under Peter I, the industrial collection of its roots for hospitals began.^

Description

This is perennial herbaceous plant with a short vertical rhizome bearing numerous cord-like roots, often with stolons on which daughter specimens are formed.

Root and rhizomes have a strong, distinctive odor. In the first year of life, a rosette of basal leaves develops, in the second - a stem.

Stem erect, ribbed, hollow inside, 0.5-1.5 m tall, simple or branched in the upper part, cylindrical, grooved, glabrous or pubescent in the lower part.

Leaves slender, pair-pinnately divided with 3-11 linear-lanceolate, coarsely toothed leaves. The lower ones are petiolate, the upper ones are sessile. The basal leaves have long, slightly grooved petioles, the apical leaves are sessile.

Flowers small, pale pink, fragrant, collected at the top in thyroid or paniculate inflorescences.

Fruit- flat brown achenes with a tuft 1.5 times their length.

Blooms in May-August and ripens in July-September.

Spreading

Valerian is distributed throughout the European part, it is not found in the Far North and deserts Central Asia. This is a polymorphic species. The most famous botanical forms of valerian are: swamp, brilliant, Volga, shoot-bearing, Russian, tall, doubtful.

Habitats. It grows in a wide variety of environmental conditions: in forest and water meadows, peat bogs, along river banks, in steppes, oak forests, pine forests, clearings and burnt areas. Cultivated in Eurasia and South America.

However, digging out small roots in dense turf is quite difficult. Therefore, it is easier to grow valerian in culture.
The All-Russian Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants has developed highly productive varieties “Maun” and “Ulyana”.

Growing

Vleriana grows well in moist places, but can also tolerate prolonged drought. The best soils are structural chernozems of light mechanical composition, as well as light loams.

The plant is demanding of soil fertility and moisture. The area should be well lit and sufficiently moist. For autumn digging, add 2-3 buckets of compost or rotted manure and 20-25 g of superphosphate per 1 m2. When stored, the seeds quickly lose their viability and should be used in the year of collection or the next.

Reproduction

Valerian can be sown in three periods: early spring, summer and before winter. The choice of period depends on the availability of free time. In the spring, sowing is carried out at the earliest possible date, but usually at this time of year all the energy is consumed by vegetable crops and there is no time left for medicinal purposes. Good results obtained by sowing at the end of summer with fresh, just collected seeds. Before winter, valerian is sown in the Non-Black Earth Zone at the end of October-beginning of November in pre-made furrows, when the soil is already frozen.
0.5-0.8 g of dry seeds are sown per 1 m2, the depth of their planting is no more than 1 cm. The bed is regularly watered before germination so that the soil is constantly moist. Shoots appear on the 5-7th day. Further care: moderate watering, weeding and loosening the soil. To get large roots if the seedlings are too dense, you can thin out, leaving 10-15 plants per 1 meter of row, and transplant the rest of the plants somewhere. Before the cold weather, valerian manages to form a rosette of basal leaves and a well-developed root system.
In the second year of growing season, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is carried out in early spring. You can also use any fertilizers for flower crops that are currently sold in garden centers. Valerian blooms in June and produces seeds in July. But in order to get large roots, they carry out “topping” - the buds are cut off during budding. In this case, by the end of the second year you can get a good harvest of raw materials.
The seeds ripen slowly, within 30-45 days. As soon as the first ripe seeds appear in the inflorescence, they are cut off with part of the stem, tied into bunches and hung or laid out on a tarpaulin in the attic for ripening.
Advice. It is advisable to place Valerian in damp places near the fence or in the background of a mixborder, where during flowering it will not block anything. You should not place the plant in front of the windows of your home. The flowers have a peculiar smell that not everyone may like.

Care.

Caring for crops consists of weeding, loosening the soil and fertilizing. During drought, moderate watering is necessary. In the second year of life, in the budding phase, peduncles are pinched, which contributes to a significant increase in the yield of rhizomes.

Chemical composition

The roots contain an essential oil of complex composition, alkaloids: valerine, hatinin, etc., glycosides, tannins, sugars, organic acids.

Active ingredients

The underground organs of valerian contain essential oil (0.5-2.4%), the main part of which is the ester of borneol and isovaleric acid, isovaleric acid, borneol, limonene, camphene, myrtenol, caryophyllene. In total, over 70 components were found in essential oil, many of which are contained in very small quantities. In addition, iridoids, alkaloids, valeopatriates, sugars, and organic acids were isolated.

Medicinal raw materials

Rhizomes with roots are used for medicinal purposes. Best time For harvesting raw materials of wild valerian - autumn, when the stems turn brown. The dug up roots are cleared of soil, washed in running water without soaking, and laid out in a thin layer in a well-ventilated room for drying; In this case, exposure of the raw materials to sunlight should be avoided.
Attention! Do not dry valerian in a hot dryer. At the same time, the essential oil evaporates, which has a calming effect.

Application

Use in design

Valerian is an excellent ornamental plant. Its flowers not only delight with their beauty, but also attract beneficial insects that protect fruit trees from pests. It can be planted in flower beds and in the form of separate compositions.

Valerian flowers

Medicinal

Valerian has long been a well-known medicinal plant. Its name comes from the Latin valere - “to be healthy.”

In medicine, aqueous infusion of valerian, mixtures, and preparations from the roots are widely used. These are classic sedatives for states of nervous excitement and neuroses of the cardiovascular system.

Preparations from valerian increase bile secretion and secretion of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract.

Application in official and folk medicine

Valerian preparations are prescribed for diseases accompanied by nervous excitement, insomnia, and hysteria. The plant is widely used for mild forms of neurasthenia and psychasthenia, for menopausal disorders, vegetative neuroses, and neuroses of the cardiovascular system. Valerian preparations reduce the excitability of the central nervous system; the calming effect is slow but stable. In patients, the feeling of tension, increased irritability disappears, and sleep improves. The therapeutic effect of valerian is more effective with systematic and long-term course use, therefore the timing and dosage of drugs is prescribed by the attending physician.
Valerian preparations are prescribed to pregnant women for early and late toxicosis, and also as a sedative for neuroses during menopause.

Valerian is used to treat many other diseases. It has a beneficial effect on dysfunctions thyroid gland, indicated for heart defects, migraines, asthma, promotes digestion, “warming up” the gastrointestinal tract. Valerian preparations enhance bile secretion and intestinal motor function, serve as a carminative and anthelmintic, soothe abdominal pain, and relieve spasms in the uterus. Even infants with abdominal pain are given 1 hour, a spoonful of aqueous infusion of valerian root.
This plant is used in medicinal practice in the form of simple herbal preparations, as well as as part of multicomponent infusions, tinctures and other complex remedies. Currently, the domestic pharmaceutical industry produces valerian tincture with 70% alcohol (1:5) and thick valerian extract (coated tablets), as well as complex preparations, which also include motherwort, mint, lily of the valley and hawthorn .

Valerian is a component of valocormid, valocordin, valosedan, and corvalol.

Valerian

Use at home

There are many ways to prepare and use this plant. In Russia, hot infusion, tincture and powder of rhizomes with roots are more often used. To prepare the infusion 1 tbsp. a spoonful of crushed raw materials is poured into 1 cup of boiling water, heated in a water bath or in a thermos for 15 minutes, left for 45 minutes and filtered. Take 2-3 tbsp. spoons half an hour after eating. The infusion is stored in a cool place for no more than 2 days.

In Germany, a cold infusion of rhizomes with roots is considered the most effective as a sedative: 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of crushed raw materials into 1 glass of cold boiled water, leave for 12 hours and filter. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3-4 times a day before meals.
The tincture is prepared with 40% alcohol or vodka, in a ratio of 1:5. The roots are pre-crushed in order for extraction to proceed better. Leave for 7 days and filter. Take 15-20 drops 3-4 times a day. To obtain the powder, the raw materials are ground in a coffee grinder to a powdery state, then sifted through a sieve. The sifted powder is inhaled 1 g 3-5 times a day or taken orally 1-2 g per dose 3-4 times a day, washed down with water.

One of the components therapeutic effect valerian is the smell, so if you want your sleep to be sound and restful, then hang valerian roots in a gauze bag over your bed or put a few of its roots between the pillowcase and pillow. The volatile substances they release will calm the nerves, strengthen the heart, and increase health. You can simply sniff the powder from the crushed roots before going to bed.
For toothache, use a cotton swab dipped in an alcoholic tincture of valerian diluted with water to cover the affected tooth and gums on all sides.

Attention! With prolonged and excessive use of valerian, drowsiness, a feeling of depression, decreased performance and depression of general condition are possible.
In some patients with hypertension, valerian has the opposite (stimulating) effect and disrupts sleep.

Other uses

The use of valerian for cosmetic purposes is quite diverse and is based in most cases on its antibacterial and soothing effects. It is used for dermatitis, especially of nervous origin.

Valerian has been known since ancient times. It was used as a mind cleanser, fragrance, and relaxant. Nowadays, valerian is used in both traditional and folk medicine. All parts of the plant have medicinal properties, but most of nutrients are concentrated precisely in the root. The healing herb has virtually no contraindications and is approved for use even by small children over 1 year old.

Valerian officinalis is a herbaceous perennial belonging to the Honeysuckle family. The erect, arched, grooved stems are from 1.2 to 1.8 m in height. Their branching occurs closer to the top, where the inflorescence is located. One valerian bush consists of several stems. Pinnately dissected leaves can be alternate or form whorls of 3–4 pieces.

The grass has a thick and short rhizome up to 4 cm long, no more than 3 cm thick. Most often it is hollow or has a loose core structure with partitions. Numerous roots, called stolons, up to 12 cm long and up to 3 cm in diameter, are directed in different directions from the rhizome; they are often separated from the rhizome and have a strong aromatic odor. A medicinal extract and essence with a pronounced spicy taste are prepared from them.

Small flowers up to 4 mm in diameter, white, pale pink or pale purple, have a funnel-shaped corolla with a five-lobed curve. Bisexual flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences. Flowering of the plant begins in the second year of life and continues throughout the summer. The plant produces fruits in the form of achenes, which ripen from August to September.

The Mediterranean is considered the birthplace of valerian. It grows in areas with temperate and subtropical climates; in Russia it is found in the European part of the territory. The grass prefers to grow in lowland meadows, in wetlands, and is found in peat bogs. Valerian is found along the banks of reservoirs and on forest edges. It is grown on plantations for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry.

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2 Medicinal properties of valerian rhizome

Unlike other medicinal herbs, valerian does not have a pronounced main active substance. All parts of the plant have medicinal properties, but in folk medicine the roots and rhizomes of the plant are most often used. These are where most of the essential oil, containing about 100 active components that have a positive effect on the body.

Valerian essential oil contains the following substances:

macro- and microelements;
tannins;
alkaloids;
ketodes;
vitamins;
saponins;
alcohols;
organic acids and other useful components.

Most often the plant is used as an antispasmodic and sedative. Valerian also has a healing choleretic effect and stimulates gastrointestinal secretion. Preparations created on the basis of valerian extract dilate coronary vessels well.

Dried valerian root

The main indications for the use of drugs with valerian are diseases of the nervous system: for insomnia, to relieve attacks of hysteria, for epilepsy, neuralgia, cardiac neuroses. Products with valerian are useful for relieving spasms, headaches and migraines, reducing blood pressure and relieving angina attacks.

Some valerian-based drugs, such as Valocordin or Cardiovalen, are prescribed together with other sedatives to extend their validity period. This treatment cannot be used for children, as it slows down their mental development and causes a state of apathy.

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2.1 Use of valerian preparations for women

For women, medications with valerian are prescribed to be taken during menopause to relieve fatigue and normalize sleep. They relieve irritability and improve overall well-being. Pregnant women are prescribed to take valerian in the form of tablets to relieve nervousness, as well as for cramps. Valerian tincture is contraindicated during pregnancy.

Women can take medicinal product, according to the instructions for use, in the form of tinctures, decoctions, in tablet form. If it is impossible to take the medicine in the form suggested, it can be replaced with a warm, relaxing bath with a decoction of valerian roots.

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2.2 Use of valerian for children

Valerian is prescribed to children for various nervous diseases, hyperactivity, apathy towards food, stomach cramps and intestinal tract. However, due to the powerful sedative effect, it is not recommended to take the drug without a doctor’s prescription or to exceed the dosage prescribed by a specialist. This causes depression in the child, allergic rash, drowsiness, developmental delays and digestive disorders.

Children under 1 yearGiving valerian preparations is strictly prohibited.

Children over 1 year old can be given no more than 1 drop of diluted tincture. When the child reaches the age of 2 years, the amount of the drug is increased to 2 drops and then according to the same scheme.

2.3 Effect of valerian preparations on men

The medicinal plant has only a positive effect on men, helping to reduce the intensity of cramps muscle tissue, relieve exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases, avoid nervous tension and overexcitability. Negative Impact Valerian drugs on male sexual function consist only of drowsiness and a decrease in nervous excitability, which causes a natural decrease in attraction to the opposite sex.

3 Harvesting plant roots

Experienced herbalists advise collecting valerian roots in the fall, after the foliage turns brown and the seeds fly off. During harvesting, you need to be very careful not to confuse the brown rhizomes with the roots of other plants.

Having dug up the roots, they are cleared of soil and thoroughly washed with running water. For several days, the raw materials are dried with access to fresh air, and final drying is carried out in the attic or in the oven, setting the temperature no higher than +40 degrees. Prepared rhizomes are stored in dark glass or wooden containers, separately from other plants.

4 Homemade medicine recipes

At home, medicines are prepared from the roots and rhizomes of valerian in the form of decoctions, infusions and alcohol tinctures, which are useful for treating many diseases. Drug recipes:

Name	Preparation	Application
Infusion of valerian roots and rhizomes	Grind 10 g of dried roots and add 200 ml of boiling water. Simmer for 15 minutes in a water bath, then leave to brew for 2 hours and cool. After this, strain	Taken to normalize sleep and heartbeat, to eliminate vomiting and the consequences of vegetative neuroses. Take 1 tablespoon 4 times a day
Decoction of dried valerian roots	Grind 10 g of dry plant root to a particle size of 3 mm and pour 300 ml cool water. Heat the mixture in a water bath for half an hour, cool and strain	The decoction is used to treat vegetative neurosis, relieve seizures, stress, and normalize sleep. Drink the product three times a day, half a glass.
Decoction of fresh valerian rhizomes	It is prepared in the same way as a decoction of dry roots. Ratio of fresh raw materials and water 1:5	Used to treat neurasthenia and vegetoneurosis; to normalize sleep, take half a glass three times a day
Infusion of roots (1 option)	1 tbsp. l. crushed roots are poured with 1 cup of boiling water, placed in a thermos and left for 8 hours. Strain before use	The drug is useful for the treatment of tachycardia and chronic circulatory disorders in coronary vessels. Drink 3 times a day. In the first 15 days, consume 1/3 cup, then 15 days, 2 tbsp. l., then 1 month 1 tbsp. l. After this, take a break for a month and take the course again
Infusion of roots (2 option)	1 dessert spoon of chopped raw materials is poured with 1 glass of boiling water and left to brew in a tightly closed container for 6–8 hours. Then the finished infusion is filtered	The drink is used to treat heart neuroses, skin rashes, including urticaria, eczema, neurodermatitis and psoriasis. The product is taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day
Infusion of roots (3rd option)	1 teaspoon of chopped rhizomes is poured into 200 ml of boiling water and heated in a water bath for 1.5 hours. After cooling, filter and add the volume of liquid to 1 glass with cold water.	The product is useful for treating migraines, eliminating gastrointestinal spasms, painful menstruation and poor health during menopause. The drink is consumed warm, half a glass in the morning and evening. To improve the taste, you can add a little honey
Decoction for taking a bath	Add 3 liters of boiling water to 100 g of raw material and leave to brew for 2 hours. Then strain and pour into warm bath water	It is useful to take such a bath at night; it has a slight calming effect, relieves muscle tension, stress, relieves the effects of stress, normalizes sleep and makes for a healthier night's rest. Take a bath half an hour before going to bed. This procedure is also allowed for children.
Valerian root tincture	Place 50 g of chopped valerian rhizomes in a dark glass jar or bottle and add 500 ml of high-quality vodka. Place in a dark place for 10 days. Shake contents daily	The tincture is useful for calming the nervous system, relieving headaches and stress. It does not cause strong sedative effects. The finished tincture is taken in an amount of 20 to 30 drops 3 times a day
Recipe 5 tinctures	This recipe uses ready-made tinctures purchased at the pharmacy. Tinctures of valerian, hawthorn, motherwort, peony and the drug Corvalol are mixed in equal quantities. The mixture is poured into a dark glass bottle	The resulting medicine effectively calms the nervous system, relieves heart pain and improves heart function, eliminates spasms of the stomach and intestines, and normalizes digestion. Start drinking the medicine with 12 drops, diluting the drug into 50 ml warm water. Every day the amount of the drug is increased by 2 drops, bringing the total amount to 40 drops. The course of treatment ranges from 25 to 35 days

5 Contraindications

Most often, treatment with valerian root preparations is well tolerated by patients. But in the case of hypertension, their use causes the opposite effect of sedation. The person experiences an excited state, sleep disturbances, and possible nightmares.

Contraindications for use medicines based on valerian are:

Since valerian-based products increase blood clotting, they should be taken with great caution in old age, especially if there is a predisposition to heart attacks or strokes. It is also worth considering the side effects observed when taking valerian preparations: drowsiness, decreased performance, and depression. With continuous use, gastrointestinal disorders may occur: constipation and, in some cases, hypersensitivity.

Valerian, medicinal properties and contraindications, which will be discussed in detail in the article, is often used to calm the nervous system. The pharmaceutical properties of this plant have been compared to powerful sedatives, since it has a cumulative effect and has an alkaloid-mineral complex.

Description of the complex and rich composition of valerian

Unlike other types of herbs, valerian does not have a main active ingredient, but still, there is one component - essential oil, which has the characteristic smell of this plant. The composition is an ideal combination of more than 100 biologically active substances, which together have a positive effect on the body.

The healing properties of essential oil lie in the combined action of such constituent components, as micro- and macroelements, alkaloids, tannins, ketodes, a complex of vitamins, alcohols (the main one is isovaleric), saponins, esters. In total, the roots and rhizomes contain up to 2% essential oil. Also contains formic acid, palmitic acid, malic acid, stearic acid and acetic acid, terpinoids, camphene, pinenes and glycochidic compounds.

General medicinal properties

The medicinal properties of valerian have a versatile effect, but most of all they have a depressant effect on the central nervous system and help reduce muscle spasms.

Drops in the form of an alcohol tincture are taken for:

In folk medicine, the plant is known as a medicine against flatulence, worms and poor appetite. The crushed roots are brewed into powder and made into decoctions, which are used in the treatment of typhus, lung diseases, scarlet fever and headaches.

Important! Valerian-based drugs, for example, Valocordin, Cardiovalen, are used together with other sedatives to prolong their effect. This complex is absolutely not suitable for children, as it will contribute to slow development and apathy.

A useful infusion for washing the eyes of children and adults, as well as for general strengthening body. The effect of treatment occurs only when regular use, and not with a one-time dose.

The ancient people also knew about the properties of valerian; the plant extract was added to perfumes and attracted cats to it, which became intoxicated by the characteristic aroma.

For women

Rhizomes and roots have medicinal properties for women. The plant is used:

During menopause. During the period of restructuring of the body, insomnia and a feeling of fatigue are noted. It is valerian (tablets, decoctions) that helps improve sleep, relieve irritability and significantly improve overall health.
During pregnancy. During this period, any nervous condition and overstrain are dangerous for a woman, as this can affect the health of the unborn baby. The healing properties during pregnancy include an antispasmodic and sedative effect.

Important! Pregnant women should not take valerian tincture, since it contains alcohol; it is better to give preference to tablets or decoctions.

The use of drugs or decoctions of valerian root is recommended for women with anxiety, nervous excitement, stress, tearfulness, insomnia. An alternative to internal use is a warm, relaxing bath with a decoction of the plant (7-8 tablespoons of crushed roots, brew in 1 liter of boiling water, infuse and pour out).

For children

A child’s insufficiently strengthened nervous system forms unstable behavior, excitability, restlessness and capriciousness. Doctors prescribe valerian to children for the following disorders:

How much should children drink? Despite vegetable origin, valerian is a powerful sedative, so it is important to follow the dosage instructions that come with it. pharmaceutical tinctures and tablets. Abuse of medications based on valerian roots can lead to depression, decreased performance, drowsiness, allergic rash, problems with stool, and developmental delays.

Important! Along with its indications, valerian has side effects from its use (inflammation of the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, individual intolerance), so treatment should be prescribed by a specialist.

Valerian herb is contraindicated for children under 1 year of age. After the baby has celebrated his first year, you can give him 1 drop, a 2-year-old child - 2 drops, and so on.

For men

The use of valerian root in medicine has not spared the stronger half of humanity. Moreover, for some reason the herb is considered a remedy that reduces potency. This is an erroneous opinion, since male strength directly depends on the concentration of testosterone in the blood, the production of which is not affected by valerian. Vice versa, medicinal root able to cope with the problems of cardiovascular diseases (tachycardia, arrhythmias), reduce the frequency of muscle spasms, avoid increased excitability and nervous tension.

Valerian can only cause drowsiness and a decrease in nervous excitability, which can contribute to a decrease in sexual desire for the opposite sex.

Ways to use valerian root

Valerian root, which has medicinal properties and contraindications, has several uses:

Interior. Used for flatulence, nervous excitement, anxiety, gastrointestinal spasms, headaches.

Recipe No. 1 - 2 tsp. Brew crushed roots in 1 tbsp. boiling water To maximize the saturation of the liquid with beneficial substances, it is recommended to further bring the infusion to readiness in a water bath for 15 minutes. How to use? - 1 tbsp. l. up to 4 times a day on an empty stomach.

Recipe No. 2 - make a mixture of herbs from valerian rhizomes, yarrow (flowers), motherwort and anise fruits. Proportions: herbs 20 g, fruits - 10 g. Pour 1 tbsp. l. collection with 1 glass of boiling water, bring to readiness in a water bath for 20 minutes, let cool, strain, add more to the glass boiled water to replenish the original volume. How to drink? - 1/3 glass 3 times a day before meals. The decoction is recommended for use for heart problems.

Recipe No. 3 - for insomnia. This is a classic decoction, when 1 tbsp. l. pour 1 cup of boiling water over the raw materials and continue boiling for another 15 minutes. Next, leave for 40 minutes, filter and take 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day (children - 1 tsp.)

Aromatherapy (for insomnia). How to cook? Mix 100 g of crushed mint and valerian roots, place in gauze, inhale before bed or place near the pillow. The inhalation procedure can also be repeated at night.

Important! Valerian inhalations can lead to headaches after waking up in the morning; in this case, reduce the dosage of the herb, which is placed in a gauze bag, or reduce the number of times you inhale the aroma.

Aromatherapy can be carried out for up to 4 months without a break, but in this case, it would be useful to listen to the opinion of a doctor.

Contraindications

For people with diseases such as enterocolitis, hypertension, cirrhosis, glomerulonephritis and other liver diseases, the use of the root or rhizome is contraindicated. Elderly men and women, as well as those with drowsiness, should take the plant with caution.

For alcohol addiction

Valerian tincture, medicinal properties and contraindications, which were discussed in the article, are prohibited for use in case of alcoholism. The herb has the property of depressing the central nervous system, suppressing nervous excitement and its combination with alcoholic drinks leads to the development of depression, slow work nerve cells, pressure surges.

Valerian also causes harm to the stomach with regular consumption of alcohol. The combination of incompatible components leads to increased mucus production and an increase in alcohol toxicity several times.

Correct preparation

Valerian roots have medicinal properties, so they are the ones to be harvested. They are dug up in the fall, before the stems are shed, washed well in cold water, and subjected to light antiseptic treatment, dried on fresh air and placed in a dry, well-ventilated area, such as an attic.

Important! Harvesting roots after frost is not recommended, since the roots become intertwined near growing plants and also acquire the smell of valerian. Thus, it becomes possible to confuse roots that do not have medicinal properties; worse, they have toxins and poisons.

After going through all the stages of harvesting, the plant acquires a characteristic fragrant odor due to the release of bornyl isovaleric acid.

One of the most famous natural medicines is valerian root, a herb found everywhere in Russia. This part of the plant has many valuable properties, therefore, “catnip” is cultivated to obtain dry raw materials with a high content of active components. It is stored for a long time and is used in the manufacture of herbal remedies for various indications.

Chemical composition and nutrients

The main difference between valerian rhizome is the recognizable unusual smell that the essential oil imparts. It has a sedative effect, helps get rid of seizures, relieve nervous tension. The components also include:

trace elements (iodine, iron, calcium, selenium);
saponins, vitamins (especially tonic C);
alkaloids, tannins;
natural sugars, organic acids.

Components are not lost healing power, in whatever form the raw materials are stored - whole or ground into powder brown pieces of root.

pharmachologic effect

Most known property The Valeriana plant that makes it popular is a calming plant. You can reduce anxiety, increase stress resistance, and restore restful sleep if you inhale the aroma or take baths with the infusion. You can eliminate pain caused by tension in smooth and striated muscles - in the arms, legs, back, uterus, and gastrointestinal tract. This is explained by the neuroregulatory effect of the components of essential oil, the most valuable substance contained in valerian raw materials. In addition, it helps:

regulate the functioning of the heart by acting through the central nervous system;
improve blood circulation, remove tachycardia;
lower blood pressure, relieve symptoms of asthma, epilepsy, menopause (Bornean camphor, which is part of the juice, dilates blood vessels);
get rid of some eye diseases;
harmonize digestion and related processes, especially bile secretion;
lose weight, reduce appetite, dull the feeling of hunger (the easiest way is to add the leaves of the plant to regular salads);
increase immunity when taken as part of preparations - for prevention, treatment during epidemics;
relieve syndromes accompanying manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia, manic-depressive state, radiculitis, migraine, thrombophlebitis.

Doctors note the benefits of alkaloids that normalize heartbeat. They successfully reduce motor activity, relieve stuttering and convulsions when frightened. Therefore, products based on “catnip” can be prescribed to children.

Use of valerian root for medicinal purposes

This component of the plant can be bought at a pharmacy or prepared independently. Medicinal fees sold in press briquettes, boxes of powder, portions packaged in filter bags. You can purchase an alcohol tincture, a pack of tablets, dragees, or a specialized pharmaceutical. Experienced craftsmen planning to collect natural raw materials look for an ecologically clean area and go there from late August to early September, when the seeds fly around. It is necessary to be able to distinguish valerian from other herbs in the vicinity of which it often grows. To avoid poisoning, it is important not to mix dug up valerian rhizomes (they must be at least 2 years old, approximately 3 cm in diameter), which have long, sharp-smelling, bitter-sweet-tasting shoots, with components of other plants.

The blanks, cleared of impurities, must be washed with cold water, dried in the wind, and dried at a low temperature naturally or artificially. Place in thick cardboard boxes, glass jars, paper bags, then use as needed. Shelf life and intended use is a maximum of three years.

Normalization of sleep

One tbsp. Brew a spoonful of raw materials with a glass of boiling water, put on low heat for 10-15 minutes, drink fresh. This is a recipe for a classic decoction - herbal tea. You can combine its use with soothing baths (boil 10 tablespoons of powder in 1 liter hot water 10 minutes, then leave for 6 times longer), aromatherapy (put a pillow soaked in plant oil or stuffed with a mixture of valerian, hops and mint at the head of the bed).

Elimination of spasms and pain

For 1 tbsp. l. raw materials, take 1 cup of boiling water, cook for a quarter of an hour over low heat, leave for 45-50 minutes. Strain, drink 3 times a day, 1 tbsp. l. for an adult, 1 teaspoon for a child. Comprehensively helps to get rid of flatulence, migraines, nervous stress, lower high blood pressure.

Normalization of blood pressure and heart function

An infusion of 1 tbsp helps. spoons of valerian root, poured hot water (about 500 ml) in a thermos and kept for 8 hours. You should drink it for 2 months three times a day: 2 weeks 45-55 ml, the same amount 30-35 ml, then 15-20 ml. If you initially reduce the dose to a minimum and take the drug a maximum of 3 times a day, it allows you to cure tachycardia, neuroses, skin diseases such as neurodermatitis, eczema (accompanied by itching).

Improvement of the digestive system

Pour 10 g of raw material into 300 ml of water, keep on fire for 15 minutes, cool. Drink 3-4 times a day. Helps relieve gastrointestinal spasms. Positive side effects - relief of well-being with a reduced reaction rate, menopause, painful periods, endometriosis, hypertensive attacks, rapid pulse, and other similar disorders.

Weight loss

An effective specialized - anorexigenic - remedy can be purchased at a pharmacy (for example, tablets of cryo-ground valerian of various releases) or prepared with your own hands. It is necessary to brew 10 g of rhizome with 1 cup of boiling water, hold for 15 minutes in a water bath, then leave for 2 hours. Strain, take 1 tbsp before each meal. spoon.

Strengthening immunity

Valerian roots should be mixed in equal parts with plant materials - linden flowers, oregano, coriander seeds, cudweed, lemon balm, motherwort, hop cones. Scald the teapot, pour boiling water over the mixture in it (1 full tablespoon per 0.5 l). Wrap the container for at least 1.5-2, maximum 8 hours. Drink fresh vitamin-containing liquid 2-3 times a day. Side positive effect– harmonizing effect on the digestive system (if you add more dried dried fruit), lowering blood pressure.

Depressant

You can use a standard water (on an empty stomach, 1 tablespoon three times a day, course for at least several days, maximum two months) or alcohol infusion. The latter acts immediately and quickly, further dilating the blood vessels. Adult men and women can be given 15-20 drops, children - not infants, with the consent of the doctor - for as long as they are old. One of the manufacturing options is to keep 50 g of crushed raw materials placed in 0.5 liters of vodka in a closed vessel for 7-10 days, without lighting, shaking regularly. For any patient, the product must be greatly diluted, then it will act without harm, quickly relieving stress, fear, and nervous shock.

External use: pour into the bath a solution of 3 cups of crushed rhizomes, brewed with 1 liter of water and simmered for a third to a quarter of an hour over low heat. 10 minutes of relaxation is enough to stop signs of overexcitation, panic attacks, reduce tearfulness, and anxiety.

Eye diseases

In case of inflammation or dry mucous membranes, it is necessary to wash the sore spots with filtered valerian decoction. Another option is to make lotions mixed with eyebright infusion (before bed, when you can achieve complete relaxation). A side effect is improved vision with slight muscle fatigue.

Vessel cleaning

Mix 100 g of dill seeds and 50 g of ground valerian raw materials. Pour 2 liters of hot water. Leave to cool to 40°C, add 2 tablespoons of honey. Place in a resealable container, wrap in a towel, and keep warm for 1 day. Take 20 days after 10 (do two repetitions), 30 minutes before meals, 1 tbsp. spoon. Helps reduce pain, has a general healing effect on hypertension, atherosclerosis, varicose veins, and circulatory disorders.

Use in folk medicine

There are many ways to use valerian in specific circumstances, adapting recipes to produce the desired effect. People take traditional remedies prepared using standard methods, but calculate the dosage and select the principles of administration individually. According to reviews, you can:

make sachets from dry herbal raw materials - sew mini-pads and bags with a certain amount of filler;
drip oil onto radiators, place saucers with it on cabinets so that the healing, soothing smell spreads throughout the room faster;
V evening time inhale the aroma of the collection or alcoholic infusion through both nostrils in turn (useful for chronic hypertensive patients, people with temporarily high blood pressure);
brew valerian with regular tea(black, green), chamomile, hawthorn, rosehip berries, drink instead of capsules and tablets that do not have an effect.

Experimenting with instructions and medical recommendations for use is not prohibited if high-quality plant material is used. Its appearance and properties must correspond to the traditional description.

Harm and contraindications

Clearly expressed side effects“catnip” does not, since it requires systematic, regular, fairly long-term use. The principle of its effect, like many other natural remedies, is cumulative. However, each person’s body reacts to the active components differently. Therefore, from the point of view of pharmacokinetics, the medicinal properties and contraindications of valerian cannot be standardized or characterized unambiguously.

It is necessary to stop using the herb if drowsiness, depression, slow reactions, nausea, constipation, headaches, heart pain, memory loss, problems with brain function, or unusual sensations appear. This applies to any form of herbal medicine - tablets, decoctions, extracts, flavorings. There is no need to give such products to animals, especially cats.

Alcohol infusions and solutions should not be taken by women during pregnancy (especially during early stages fetal development) and feeding, infants, children under 3 years of age, those with hypotension (low blood pressure), individual intolerance to individual components, allergies. People suffering from intestinal sluggishness, constipation, bradypsychia, hypertension, alcoholism, liver pain of unknown etiology, taking valocordin and similar drugs with similar names.

One of the harmful properties medicinal valerian– the ability to negatively affect the body, worsen the condition with serious overdoses (for example, if you eat too many pills or drink infusions for a long time). The phenomenon is observed when bioactive components accumulate in the tissues of the body, then symptoms of pathologies that already exist in a person develop.

Rhizomes with valerian roots - RhizomatacumradicibusValerianae

Valerian officinalis - Valeriana officinalis L.

Valerian family - Valerianaceae

Other names:

- maun pharmacy

- cat root

- magpie grass

- shake grass

- maun

- meow

Botanical characteristics. A perennial herbaceous plant with a height of 50 cm to 2 m. In the first year of life, only a rosette of basal leaves is formed, in the second - flowering stems. The rhizome is short, vertical, with numerous roots. The stems are straight, hollow inside, grooved on the outside, and pale purple in color at the bottom. The leaves are imparipinnately dissected, the lower ones are petiolate, the upper ones are sessile. In the upper part the stem is branched, forming corymbose or paniculate inflorescences. whisk Pink colour, funnel-shaped. There are three stamens, one pistil with a lower ovary. The fruit is an achene with a tuft. It blooms from late May to August, the fruits ripen in June-September.

Spreading. Almost everywhere. It does not form thickets suitable for harvesting, so it is cultivated in the middle zone on many Rolkhozes and State Farms. Raw materials are obtained on plantations best quality. The rhizomes of cultivated plants are twice as large. High-yielding varieties "Maun" and "Cardiola" are cultivated.

Habitat. In the steppe, along rocky mountain slopes, mainly in wet meadows, in floodplains, among bushes, in swamps, in forests. In the northern regions, valerian has thinner roots, in the southern regions the rhizome and roots are larger. It is cultivated on fertile, preferably meadow-marsh soils or in wet areas. The soil is fertilized mineral fertilizers nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium in a ratio of 1:3:2. Propagated by fresh seeds. Sowing in summer, autumn or pre-winter to a depth of 1-2 cm with row spacing of 45-60 cm. Recently, it has been propagated by rhizome suckers and grown as an annual crop. Root yield 20-25 c/ha.

blank, primary processing and drying. Harvesting rhizomes with valerian roots should be carried out in late autumn (late September - mid-October), when the growth of the root mass is completed. During spring harvesting, the quality and yield of raw materials are significantly reduced (almost half). Harvesting of raw materials on farms is carried out using a valerian harvester or potato diggers. Rhizomes with roots are cleaned of the remains of aerial parts and soil, thick rhizomes are cut lengthwise, quickly washed with water in a washing machine (no more than 20 minutes) and dried with active ventilation, spread out in a layer of 3-5 cm.

Dry in heat dryers at a temperature not exceeding 35-40°C or in the air in the shade, under a canopy with good ventilation. Farms use conveyor steam dryers; the coolant temperature above the top belt should not exceed 50°C, above the bottom - 30°C, the thickness of the raw material layer is 3-4 cm.

Standardization. The quality of raw materials is regulated by GF XI and FS 42-1530-89.

Security measures. After digging out the underground parts, the seeds from the plant are shaken off into the same hole where the roots were and covered with earth; in addition, all small plants and some large ones are left at the collection site for the renewal of thickets. Stems with seeds are trimmed without damaging the rhizomes. Plants reproduce by rhizomes.

External signs.Whole raw materials It is a whole or cut lengthwise rhizome up to 4 cm long, up to 3 cm thick, with a loose core, often hollow, with transverse partitions. Numerous thin adventitious roots, sometimes underground shoots - stolons, extend from the rhizome on all sides. The roots are often separated from the rhizome; they are smooth, brittle, of varying lengths, up to 3 mm thick. The color of the rhizome and roots on the outside is yellowish-brown, at the break - from pale yellowish to brown. The smell is strong, aromatic. The taste is spicy, bittersweet.

Crushed raw materials. Pieces of roots and rhizomes various shapes, light brown in color, passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 7 mm.

The powder is large. A mixture of pieces of rhizomes with valerian roots of various shapes, brownish-brown in color, passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 2 mm.

When viewed under a magnifying glass or stereomicroscope, shapeless pieces of rhizomes or cylindrical pieces of thin roots are visible, dark brown on the outside, lighter at the break. The surface of the root pieces is slightly longitudinally wrinkled.

The powder is medium fine. Pieces of roots and rhizomes are grayish-brown in color, passing through a sieve with holes measuring 0.2 mm. The smell and taste of crushed raw materials and powder are similar to whole raw materials.

Possible impurities. Found in the roots of valerian. When harvesting, similar plants are sometimes collected. All impurities are easily recognized by the absence of valerian odor in dry raw materials.

Microscopy.Whole, crushed raw materials. A cross section of the root shows the epidermis, the cells of which are elongated into long hairs or papillae. The cells of the hypodermis are larger, often with drops of essential oil. The bark is wide, consists of homogeneous round parenchyma cells filled with starch grains, simple and 2-5-complex, 3-9 (less often up to 20) microns in size. The endoderm consists of cells with thickened radial walls. Young roots have a primary structure. Old ones in the basal part have a secondary structure with radiate wood.

The powder is large, medium-fine. From part of the analytical sample, micropreparations are prepared according to the method of preparing micropreparations from cut, crushed or powdered medicinal plant materials (SP XI, issue 1, p. 282).

When examining microslides, fragments of parenchyma with simple and 2-5-complex starch grains (sometimes gelatinized) are visible: individual starch grains; less often - drops of essential oil; scraps of integumentary tissue and wood vessels with a spiral and ladder type of secondary wall thickening; occasionally stony cells.

Numerical indicators. Rhizomes with roots. Whole raw materials. Extractive substances extracted with 70% alcohol are at least 25%; humidity no more than 10%; total ash no more than 13%; ash, insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 10%; other parts of valerian (remains of stems and leaves, including those separated during analysis), as well as old dead rhizomes no more than 5%; organic impurities - no more than 2%, mineral - no more than 3%.

Crushed raw materials. Extra active substances, humidity, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, the content of other parts of valerian, organic impurities are the same as for uncrushed raw materials; particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 7 mm, no more than 10%; particles passing through a sieve with holes measuring 0.5 mm, no more than 10%; mineral impurity no more than 1%.

Powder. Particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes measuring 0.2 mm, no more than 1%. The content of extractives, ash, and humidity are the same as for crushed raw materials.

Rhizomes with roots are fresh. Extractive substances not less than 25%; moisture no more than 85%; total ash no more than 14%; ash insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 10%; residues of stems, including those separated from rhizomes, no more than 3%; organic impurities no more than 3%, mineral - 1.5%.

Chemical composition. About 100 individual substances have been found in valerian roots. The roots contain up to 0.5-2% essential oil, the main part of which is bornyl isovalerianate (valerian-borneol ester), free isovaleric acid, borneol, bicyclic monoterpenes (camphene, a-pinene, d-terpineol, l-limonene), as well as sesquiterpenes, borneol esters of formic, acetic and butyric acids, nitrogen-containing alcohol and kessil alcohol - proazulene (tricyclic sesquiterpene alcohol); alkaloids - actinidin (which has a stimulating effect on cats), valerine, hatinin, tannins, saponins, sugars, organic acids (formic, acetic, malic, stearic, palmitic, etc.), glycosides (valeride, valerosides A, B and C) , monoterpene alcohol mertinol in free form and as an ester of isovaleric acid. The aglycone of valerosides A, B and C is valerogenin, which is a triterpene ketone. In addition, 2 unknown ketones were detected.

The raw material contains about 1% valepatriates, polysaccharides, and organic acids. Valepatriates are found in fresh raw materials and in living plants. During the drying process, they decompose to form free valeric acid or its analogues.

Storage. According to the rules for storing essential oil raw materials, packed in bags and bales, in dark rooms inaccessible to cats, which gnaw and pull apart the roots. The shelf life of dried raw materials is 3 years. Freshly processed raw materials must be processed within 3 days in pharmaceutical factories.

Distinctive features of valerian and related plants

Plant name	Diagnostic signs
Plant name		inflorescences and flowers	root system
Valerian - Valeriana officinalis L. (Valerianaceae)	The leaves are unpaired, pinnately dissected, alternate or opposite.	The inflorescence is a corymb with small pink flowers. The flowers are tubular, 5-petalled. Fruits with a tuft.	The rhizome is short, vertical, densely surrounded by long adventitious roots. Fresh roots are light brown, darkening when dried.
Hemp sapling - Eupalorium cannabinum L.	Leaves are tripinnate, opposite.	The inflorescence is a complex shield; the pedicels bear small pink baskets.	The root system is similar to that of valerian.
Meadowsweet - Filipendula ulmaria Maxim (Rosaceae)	Leaves are intermittently pinnately dissected.	Dense paniculate inflorescence, flowers are small, white, freely 5-petalled.	The rhizome is short, horizontal, with numerous long adventitious roots.

Pharmacological properties. Valerian has a multifaceted effect on the body: it depresses the central nervous system, reduces its excitability; inhibits oropharyngeal breathing, regulated by the midbrain, enhances the effect of aminazine; reduces spasms of smooth muscle organs. Valerian essential oil weakens convulsions caused by the alkaloid brucine, which has similar pharmacological properties to strychnine. Among the plants used in folk medicine to treat patients with epilepsy, during experimental testing on different models, valerian turned out to be the most promising; it reduces the excitement caused by caffeine, prolongs the effect sleeping pills, has an inhibitory effect on the medulla oblongata and midbrain systems, increases the functional mobility of cortical processes. Valerian regulates the activity of the heart, acting indirectly through the central nervous system and directly on the muscle and conduction system of the heart, improves coronary circulation due to the direct effect of borneol on the blood vessels of the heart. Valerian enhances the secretion of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract and increases bile secretion.

Valerian serves as an example when a total extract from a plant provides a therapeutic effect, while isolated substances do not have a corresponding effect.

Medicines. Rhizome with roots, cut, briquettes, infusion, tincture, camphor-valerian drops, thick extract, sedative collection, tablets, dragees, "Cardiovalen", "Valocormid", liquid extract for the preparation of mixtures.

Application. Although infusions and tinctures of valerian have been used in medical practice for a long time, opinions differ about their activity as a sedative. Some authors point out the great value of valerian as a sedative, while others classify it as an ineffective medicinal drug. Perhaps these disagreements are explained by the non-standard activity of different series of valerian sold in pharmacies.

Valerian is used for various indications: as a sedative for chronic functional disorders central nervous system, with neuroses, hysteria - neurotic state, characterized a sharp violation relationship between the first and second signaling systems(by increasing the tone of cortical cells, valerian in this case leads to the establishment of normal relationships between these systems); for epilepsy along with others therapeutic measures, agitation due to mental trauma, insomnia, migraine; with neuroses of the heart and chronic disorder coronary circulation, pain in the heart area; for hypertension, to reduce the excitability of the cerebral cortex and reduce vegetative-vascular disorders; with palpitations, extrasystole, paroxysmal tachycardia associated with a neurotic state.

Valerian preparations are used for stomach neuroses, accompanied by spastic pain, constipation and flatulence, and for disorders of the secretory function of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract; with dysphagia, especially with cardiac spasm that is persistent; diseases of the liver and biliary tract in complex therapy; with thyrotoxicosis with painful subjective symptoms (feeling of heat, palpitations, etc.); diabetes insipidus; for some types of vitamin deficiencies as a sedative, for menopausal disorders and a number of other diseases accompanied by sleep disturbances and increased irritability. Valerian enhances therapeutic effect small doses of aminazine, the hypnotic effect of barbamyl, stabilizes the vasodilatory effects of angina pectoris, has a desensitizing effect, and tones the vasomotor centers. Valerian improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Valerian is more effective with systematic and long-term use due to the slow development of therapeutic action.

To potentiate the effect of neuroleptic drugs and reduce their doses, valerian is used together with aminazine. It is also used for early and late toxicosis of pregnancy as a sedative.

Valerian infusion is used in the complex treatment of obesity as an anorexigenic agent. By suppressing the hypothalamic appetite centers, valerian reduces the feeling of hunger, suppresses appetite, and helps withstand food restriction. For this purpose, an infusion of valerian (10.0:200.0) is prescribed 3-4 times a day before or instead of meals.

As a rule, valerian is well tolerated, but in some patients with hypertension it has the opposite stimulating effect, disrupts sleep, and causes difficult dreams.

One of the components of the therapeutic effect of valerian is its smell, which has a reflex effect on the central nervous system. Inhalation (through the lungs) entry is also possible. medicinal substances into the body.

Infusion of valerian root (Infusum radicis Valerianae): 10 g of dried valerian roots and rhizomes are poured into 200 ml of boiling water, heated in a water bath for 15 minutes, then infused for 2 hours, filtered, and taken 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day.

Valerian decoction (Decoctum Valerianae): 10 parts of valerian roots and rhizomes are crushed (the length of the particles should be no more than 3 mm), pour 300 ml of water at room temperature, boil for 30 minutes in a water bath and cool. Take 1/2 cup 3 times a day. Decoction of fresh roots valerian. A decoction of their fresh valerian roots is prepared in the same way as from dried roots. The ratio of raw material to extractor is 1:5. The doses are the same.

Mixture of valerian with fennel. A decoction is prepared from the roots and rhizomes of valerian. Fennel fruits (1 part) are crushed, poured with water at room temperature (10 parts), boiled in a water bath for 30 minutes and left for 45 minutes. Both decoctions are mixed and taken 1 glass in the morning and evening warm.

Soothing collection (Species sedativae). Ingredients: 1 part valerian roots and rhizomes, 2 parts mint and trifoliate leaves and 1 part hop cones. The mixture is crushed, take 1 tablespoon, pour 2 cups of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, filter and take. 1/2 cup 2 times a day.

Valerian tincture (Tincturae Valerianae) is prepared with 70% alcohol in a ratio of 1:5. Prescribed orally for adults, 15-20 drops per dose 2-3 times a day; Children take as many drops as the child is old. Available in 30 ml bottles.

Thick valerian extract (Extractum Valerianae spissum). Used in film-coated tablets, 2 tablets per dose. Each tablet contains 0.02 g of thick valerian extract.

Valocormidum - combination drug, containing valerian tincture and lily of the valley tincture 10 ml, belladonna tincture 5 ml, sodium bromide 4 g, menthol 0.25 g, distilled water up to 30 ml. Used for cardiovascular neuroses and bradycardia. Available in 30 ml bottles. Prescribe 10-20 drops 2-3 times a day.

Valosedan is a combined preparation containing 0.3 g of valerian extract, 0.15 g of hop tincture, 0.133 g of hawthorn tincture, 0.83 g of rhubarb tincture, 0.2 g of sodium barbital, 20 ml of ethyl alcohol, distilled water 100 ml. Produced in Czechoslovakia. Used as a sedative for neuroses and neurasthenia, 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day.

Corvalolum is similar in action to the drug Valocordin, which comes from Germany. Compound: ethyl ether a-bromoisovaleric acid 20 g, phenobarbital 18.26 g, peppermint oil 1.4 g.

Camphor-valerian drops (Tunctura Valerianae cum Camphora) consists of 10 g of camphor and valerian tincture up to 100 ml. Prescribe 15-20 drops 3 times a day as a sedative.

Flower formula

Valerian officinalis flower formula: *H0-∞L(5)T3P(3).

In medicine

Rhizomes with valerian roots are used for chronic functional disorders of the central nervous system; with nervous excitement, neuroses of the cardiovascular system, hysteria, acute agitation due to mental trauma, with migraines, insomnia, with angina pectoris, pain in the heart, epilepsy (in combination with other medications), with stage I hypertension, extrasystole, paroxysmal tachycardia, acute myocarditis, with menopausal disorders; also for stomach neuroses, disorders of the secretory function of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract, spasm of the esophagus, diseases of the liver and biliary tract in complex therapy.

In dermatology, valerian preparations are used for atopic dermatitis, true and microbial eczema, erythroderma, skin itching, psoriasis, urticaria.

Rhizomes and roots of valerian are included in preparations, teas, and dietary supplements.

For children

In pediatric dermatological practice, in the presence of atopic dermatitis, ointment dosage forms based on valerian are prescribed.

Crushed rhizomes and roots of valerian in the form of an infusion are approved for use by children from 3 years of age.

In homeopathy

Homeopathic remedies from dry valerian roots are used for increased irritability, heart neuroses, headaches, insomnia, menopausal disorders and flatulence.

Classification

Valerian officinalis (lat. Valeriana officinalis L. s. l.) belongs to the valerian family (lat. Valerianaceae). The Valerian family includes 13 genera, over 400 species. The genus Valerian (lat. Valeriana) includes about 200 species growing in temperate and cold regions of Eurasia, North and South Africa.

Botanical description

Valerian officinalis is a perennial herbaceous plant 60-150 cm high. Valerian has a short vertical rhizome up to 1.5 cm long with numerous brown-yellow adventitious roots densely located on it. The rhizome and roots have a strong specific odor. The stem is erect, grooved, hollow inside, branched in the inflorescence. In the first year of life, the leaves are rosette petiolate. The leaves of the second year of life are odd-pinnate, opposite, lanceolate, coarsely toothed; the basal ones are petiolate, the upper ones are sessile. The flowers are small, pale pink, pale purple or white, collected in corymbose inflorescences. Valerian officinalis flower formula: *H0-∞L(5)T3P(3). The fruit is a ribbed, oblong, ovoid flying achene with a tuft 2.5-4.5 mm long. The plant blooms from the second year of life from June to August.

Spreading

Valerian officinalis grows in floodplains, in damp, swampy meadows, among bushes, in ravines, and along the edges of swamps. Distributed throughout almost the entire territory of the CIS, from the south of the Arctic region and throughout the forest and forest-steppe zones of the European part. Grows in the Far East, Eastern and western Siberia south of 70ºN latitude. In the wild it rarely forms more than a thicket. Valerian is cultivated in Russia.

Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

Valerian rhizomes and roots (Valerianae rhizomata cum radicibus) are used as medicinal raw materials. Rhizomes and roots are collected in the fall (after the seeds fall in September and October) or early spring. The dug up rhizomes with roots, separated from the stem, are cleared of soil and quickly washed in cold water (you cannot keep them in water for a long time, because the roots lose their active substances). Next, the raw materials are dried for 1-2 days and dried at a temperature not exceeding 36-40ºС.

Chemical composition

Rhizomes and roots of valerian contain essential oil (up to 2%), consisting of bornyl isovalerate (the main part), valeric and isovaleric acid, camphene, terpineol, pinene, borneol, etc.; more than 10 alkaloids (valerine, actinidin hatinin, etc.); sugars, tannins, saponins, glycoside valeride, enzymes and organic acids: malic, acetic, formic, palmitic, stearic. Valepotriates have also been isolated from the underground organs of valerian: valtrate, homovaltrate, dihydrovaltrate, acetoxyvaltrate, homo-acetoxyvaltrate, homodihydrovaltrate, valerosidate, deoxydihydrovaltrate, valtrahydrin; macro- and microelements.

Pharmacological properties

Valerian has a multifaceted effect on the body. It exhibits a moderately pronounced sedative effect, depresses the central nervous system, reduces its excitability, and has antispasmodic properties (reduces spasms of smooth muscle organs). Valerian also enhances the secretion of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract and bile secretion.

Through the central nervous system, valerian preparations regulate the activity of the heart, and also directly affect the muscle and conduction system of the heart. Valerian essential oil reduces arousal caused by caffeine, prolongs the effect of sleeping pills, increases the functional mobility of the cerebral cortex, and has an inhibitory effect on the medulla oblongata and midbrain systems. Essential oil borneol, acting on the blood vessels of the heart, improves coronary circulation.

Valerian preparations reduce reflex excitability in central departments nervous system and enhance inhibitory processes in the neurons of the brain, and also prolong sleep caused by various hypnotic compounds, have coronary-dilating and hypotensive properties, and have a noticeable anticonvulsant effect in relation to the convulsive effects of analeptics. The calming effect of valerian manifests itself slowly, but quite steadily. The effectiveness of valerian appears to be higher with systematic and long-term use due to the slow development of the therapeutic effect.

Valerian officinalis has long been widely used in medical practice, both in the form of individual herbal dosage forms and as part of multicomponent infusions, tinctures, drops and other complex remedies that soothe and improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

However, you should not abuse valerian, because... Its continued use over a long period of time can cause disruption of the gastrointestinal tract (constipation).

Use in folk medicine

Already in Ancient Greece it was known about the influence of valerian on higher nervous activity. During the time of Hippocrates (V-IV centuries BC), the plant was used in the treatment of female diseases. Dioscorides considered valerian a remedy capable of “controlling” thoughts. Pliny classified it as a means of stimulating thought. In the Middle Ages, it was spoken of as a medicine that brings complacency, harmony and tranquility.

They have long known about medicinal valerian in Russia. It is mentioned in an old Russian handwritten herbal book from 1614, which talks about healing properties rhizomes and roots and the uselessness of the aboveground part of the plant. The “Uvarovsky” handwritten herbal book talks about preserving the medicinal properties of valerian for 3 years. Under Peter I, the industrial collection of plants for hospitals began.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, numerous works were devoted to experimental and clinical research of valerian. But even now it attracts the attention of researchers.

In folk medicine, valerian is used mainly as a sedative for mild heart ailments and stomach diseases, and also as a remedy for menopausal disorders. Valerian root is used to prepare an infusion used for insomnia, hypertension, headaches, asthma, convulsions, spasms, and hysteria.

Literature

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