This product is derived from the rhizomes and roots of Valeriana officinalis (Valeriana officinalis L.) and Valeriana amurensis (Valeriana amurensis P. Smirn.), plants belonging to the Valerianaceae family. They are distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning. The medicinal parts are the rhizomes and roots, which are collected in autumn, cleaned of seedlings and soil, and then dried.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Acrid and bitter, warm; act on heart and liver meridians.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Calm the mind, regulate qi, and relieve pain.

bubble_chart Indications

For neurasthenia, insomnia, hysteria, epilepsy, abdominal distension and fullness, stomach pain, lumbago and leg pain, and traumatic injuries.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. "Folk Herbs of Science": "Used for neurasthenia and mental restlessness."
2. "Shandong Chinese Medicinals": "Treats women's amenorrhea and difficult menstruation."
3. "Sichuan Chinese Materia Medica": "Treats brain nerves and heart, stomach weakness, chronic nervous disorders, and diabetes insipidus."
4. "Shaanxi Chinese Materia Medica": "Treats palpitations and lumbago."
5. "Shaanxi Chinese Herbal Medicine": "Calms the mind, soothes nerves, dispels wind, relieves spasms, promotes tissue regeneration, stops bleeding, and alleviates pain. Treats hysteria, Keshan disease, heart disease (myocarditis, postpartum heart disease, rheumatic heart disease with heart failure), lower back and leg pain, gastrointestinal spasms, arthritis, traumatic injuries, and external bleeding."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

For internal use: decoct in water, 3-9g, or soak in wine. For external use: apply an appropriate amount, grind into powder and mix for application.

Sichuan Chinese Materia Medica: "Use with caution in cases of physical weakness and yin deficiency."

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

1. Effects on the nervous system: Valerian root has a sedative effect, enhancing the inhibitory processes of the cerebral cortex, reducing reflex excitability, and relieving smooth muscle spasms. It can be combined with bromides for various states of nervous excitement, cardiovascular neurosis, hyperthyroidism, etc. It has sedative effects on frogs, mice, and rabbits; a group of substances isolated from valerian root, valerian root triesters, have a calming effect on mice and improve their coordination abilities. It also shows a certain calming effect on freely moving cats, reducing their excitement and aggressive states without affecting their responsiveness to external stimuli. Valerian root itself does not induce sleep in animals but can enhance the sleep-inducing effects of barbiturates and inhibit general activity in animals. Some reports indicate that its infusion, when administered orally or intraperitoneally to mice (40mg/20g body weight), only has a general sedative effect and a very slight impact on conditioned reflexes, suggesting it is non-specific. Others have used the chronaximeter method to show that intraperitoneal injection of valerian root extract in rats can inhibit the effects of ethanol, differing from bromides, morphine, and chloral hydrate. The root extract can increase the threshold of electrical stimulation for cortical frontal lobe arousal waves induced by electrical stimulation of the midbrain reticular formation and central gray matter. It inhibits strychnine-induced convulsions in mice and can be used as a method for biological potency determination. Subcutaneous injection of the infusion or tincture (with ethanol removed) in guinea pigs can raise body temperature but also enhances the antipyretic effect of antipyrine (possibly due to valerian root's inhibition of the vasomotor center). Column chromatography can separate the cooling components from the root. Isovaleric acid (a-allyl isovaleric acid) has analgesic effects. The active components of valerian root on the nervous system are not singular, mainly consisting of ether oils and alkaloids. Some believe the alcoholic extract is most effective, while fresh juice and volatile oils have weaker effects.
2. Effects on circulation and respiration: Certain components in valerian root can lower blood pressure in animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, mice), related to its parasympathomimetic effects, blockade of carotid sinus reflex, and inhibition of the central nervous system. In isolated frog hearts, it inhibits the systolic effects of cardiac glycosides but does not counteract arrhythmias induced by Aconite Mother Root alkaloids. Appropriate doses injected intravenously or rectally in cats or rabbits can stimulate respiration, but not under deep chloral hydrate anesthesia. Large doses can inhibit normal animal respiration. Valerian root extract, along with strychnine and amphetamine, can stimulate human binocular rivalry tests, while barbiturates and tranquilizers can inhibit this test.
3. Antibacterial effects: Total alkaloids extracted from valerian root have antibacterial effects, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria. Two alkaloids isolated from it, valerian root alkaloid and actinidine, also have effects but are less potent.
4. Other effects: It has certain antidiuretic effects. Intravenous injection of the infusion in dogs accelerates the blood coagulation process in vivo but has no effect in vitro. The extract can inhibit isolated small intestine, while large doses have a stimulatory effect, which can be blocked by atropine. It has no effect on the pituitary-adrenal system. Column chromatography can separate a component from the root that relieves smooth muscle spasms.
5. It has a certain protective effect against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver necrosis in rabbits. The toxicity of valerian root oil is quite low, with the ratio of the median lethal dose to the tolerated dose (i.e., the dose that, when administered orally once daily for 8 weeks, causes no significant harm and results in weight gain similar to the control group) being 7.0, much lower than that of India mustard seed oil.

bubble_chart Selected Prescriptions

1. For neurasthenia and neurosis: valerian root, Schisandra Fruit. Decoct or soak in wine for consumption. (Sichuan Chinese Materia Medica)
2. For lumbago, leg pain, abdominal pain, traumatic injury, palpitation, neurasthenia: valerian root, one qian. Grind into fine powder, take infused in water, or add child's urine for infusion. ("Xinjiang Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual")
3. For neurofunctional disorders: valerian root, one liang, Schisandra Fruit, three qian, silktree albizia bark, three qian, half a jin of wine, soak for seven days, take 10 ml each time, three times a day. ("Xinjiang Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual")