valerian, centennial, Dioscorides, wild rose and the greek name: Βαλεριάνα
Valerian belongs to the valerian family, with flowering shoots erect, unbranched, with a simple, short, strong root with numerous fine (2 mm) rhizomes. It flowers in July.
It is a native plant in Europe and native in Greece and prefers moist, fertile and sunny soils along streams in beech (Fagus sp.) forests up to 1800 m, in shale and serpentine.
Valerian has been known since antiquity for its medicinal uses and there are references to it by Hippocrates and Galen as a hypnagogic. Gennadius refers to the medicinal roots of the narcissus, and to the places where species of valerian grow according to Dioscorides and Strabo. Hippocrates makes reference to Valeriana dioscoridis in his books 'Peri Gynaecis Physios' and 'Gynaecia tò Proton'. Dioscorides also mentions the nardos as a diuretic, a thermant and an emmenagogue.
The rhizome contains tannins, polyphenols and essential oils with terpenes (valeric acid, hydroxyvaleric acid and acetoxyvaleric acid).
Analgesic, muscle relaxant, sedative, hypnotic, antifungal, antipyretic, spasmolytic, digestive.
Valerenic acid and its derivatives act on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, as do sedative drugs of the benzodiazepine type.
Pharmaceutical forms
Aqueous extracts of the whole plant, as an infusion or decoction ('teion'). The alcoholic extract of the root ('tincture') is more potent.
Pharmacological and therapeutic applications
The aqueous extracts of the whole plant and alcoholic extracts of the essential oils have application as mild sedative and hypnotic products.
Method of processing the medicinal herb
The dried rhizome is mainly used.
