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A sedative, digestive bitter, and appetite stimulant, valerian is a tall, perennial plant that grows widely in North America, Europe, and Asia. Valerian seems to be quite safe, and can be used as a tea, or in capsules as a regular sleep-aid. An average dose is 100 to 200mg of valerian extract standardized to contain 0.8 to 1.0% valerenic acid, a compound that occurs in the root. However, it fell out of favor once more, as U.S. medical doctors abandoned herbs as a form of treatment.
Although valerian lost its place in American medicine after World War II, it continued to be used in Europe. Scientific studies on valerian in humans began in the 1980s, leading to its approval by Germany's Commission E in 1985. Germany's Commission E monograph lists valerian as useful for "restlessness and nervous disturbance of sleep." Today, valerian is available over the counter and is widely used as a remedy for insomnia in Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Italy. Likewise, valerian has been shown to be sedative and antispasmodic. Although valerian does not appear to impair driving ability, it can diminish vigilance for a few hours after it's taken.
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