Name: Valerian Biological Name: Valeriana officianalis Other Names: English valerian, German valerian, great wild valerian, Vermont valerian, vandal root, all-heal, setwall, American English valerian, Garden valerian, phu, Valerian Parts Used: Root and rhizome Active Compounds: Valerian root contains many different constituents, including essential oils that appear to contribute to the sedating properties of the herb. Central nervous system sedation is regulated by receptors in the brain known as GABA-A receptors. Valerian may weakly bind to these receptors to exert a sedating effect. History: The Greek physician Dioscorides recommended valerian for a host of medical problems, including digestive problems, nausea, liver problems, and even urinary tract disorders. Use of valerian for insomnia and nervous conditions has been common for many centuries. By eighteenth century, it was an accepted sedative and was also used for nervous disorders associated with a restless digestive tract. Valerian is the most widely used sedative in Europe, where over one hundred valerian preparations are sold in pharmacies. Valerian is growing in popularity throughout the world because of its reputation for relieving anxiety and insomnia. It has been used for nervousness and insomnia for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine in India and in traditional Chinese medicine. Valerian was a very popular sleep sedative in the United States until it was displaced by synthetic drugs after World War II.