Valerian officinalis plant is also called koshatnik, averyan, aromatic and even damn rib. Its healing properties were known in past eras and were actively used. At present, numerous studies have confirmed that the rhizomes and roots do indeed have all the qualities attributed to them. Let's get acquainted with this wonderful gift of nature and learn some interesting facts about valerian.
Short description
The herbaceous perennial valerian officinalis, the photo of which is presented in the article, belongs to the valerian family. The distinctive features of the plant are:
- Vertical rhizome, reaching 10 cm in length.
- The stem is branched at the top, covered with grooves. Hollow, up to 2 meters high.
- Basic leaves are collected in a rosette, formed in the first year of a plant's life. Differ in longpetioles.
- Stem leaves are located opposite each other, dissected into 4-10 segments.
- The flowers are small, white or pale pink. Collected in a loose inflorescence-umbrella.
- The fruit is an oblong achene 2-3 mm long. Shaped like a chicken egg.
A characteristic feature of the plant is its specific smell, pungent and incredibly attractive to members of the cat family. It is known that big cats - tigers, lions - smell it for many kilometers, get to the plant and chop the shoots with their powerful paws, after which, breathing in the aroma, they fall into ecstasy.
Features
Let's continue the description of valerian officinalis. The flowering of the plant occurs in June or July, propagation is carried out by seeds. The plant is hardy:
- Despite the fact that it prefers high humidity, it also tolerates prolonged drought.
- The optimum temperature for growth is +20…+26 °С, but the seeds are able to germinate even at +5 °С.
- The plant survives well in the shade.
In nature, the plant is most often found on the banks of rivers and lakes, in swampy lowlands, much less often a representative of the flora is found in arid places or mountains.
Distribution area
Valerian officinalis plant, the photo of which is presented below, has a fairly wide area of distribution. You can meet this representative of the flora in various corners.world:
- On the European part of Russia, also on the territory of Eastern Siberia and the Far East, in the Crimea.
- In Ukraine (several rare but very valuable species are found here).
- Temperate and subtropical regions of the Mediterranean.
The plant feels most comfortable in forest edges, green meadows, light forests, grass and peat bogs, grows sparsely, rarely where valerian thickets can be found.
History in Brief
The healing properties of valerian officinalis were well known to the Aesculapius of Ancient Greece, who used plant infusions to calm patients, and also treated diseases of the nervous system and respiratory organs with their help. Avicenna advised the use of plant preparations to improve brain activity.
In Europe of the Middle Ages, medicine was in a very primitive state, most often doctors refused to somehow help the sick, inviting them to pray hard. And valerian often turned out to be their last hope, this plant helped to calm the nerves, cope with the problem of insomnia, cardiovascular problems, was used as a diuretic and as a means to alleviate the suffering of women in labor. In centuries before painkillers were known, the healing properties of rhizomes really helped a lot.
The Slavs also knew about valerian, who used the roots of the plant, rich in essential oils and alkaloids.
Modern Research
In 1999, a majora study of various herbal remedies, which proved that valerian really has the properties that are attributed to it. In 2006, the idea was scientifically confirmed that infusions have a beneficial effect on the nervous system of children, making babies more calm and balanced. With daily intake of the plant, the manifestations of depressive states are significantly reduced.
Composition
Valerian officinalis plant has a unique composition, which includes a huge number of components beneficial to human he alth:
- Formic, butyric, acetic, stearic, malic acids.
- Tannins.
- Alkaloids (valerine, hatinine).
- Valerian-borneol ester.
Most often, the roots or rhizomes (shoots) of the plant are used for medical purposes. Valerian officinalis also contains valepatriates, which, after drying, form valeric acid. In addition, roots and rhizomes contain ash, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, magnesium and zinc.
Healing influences and effects
Let's get acquainted with the medicinal properties of valerian officinalis, which have found application both in traditional medicine and in modern pharmacology. The plant has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, has a sedative effect on the nervous system, has a choleretic, anticonvulsant and antispasmodic effect. Taking drugs based on valerian officinalis helps to normalize and prolong sleep, they have a good effect on the heart andblood vessels, help lower blood pressure, stimulate blood circulation.
In folk medicine, a decoction of valerian is used as a remedy to help remove worms, as well as for headaches and heart pain, hypochondria, as an antiemetic. It has been proven that the plant reduces appetite, and, accordingly, helps in the fight against extra pounds.
When to apply
The healing properties of valerian officinalis are so numerous and varied that the plant is considered a real salvation from a large number of diseases. Let's name the main ones:
- Mental fatigue.
- Hypertension.
- Epilepsy.
- Persistent migraines.
- Spasms in the digestive tract.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Hysteria.
- Constipation.
- Meteorism.
- Early stages of angina.
It will be useful to take the plant for certain pathologies of the liver, kidneys, bile ducts, gallbladder. With problems with the central nervous system, drugs will also help: allow patients to get rid of increased irritability, normalize sleep.
Charges, which include the plant valerian officinalis, can be used for menstrual irregularities, colitis, cholecystitis, gastric diseases, heart failure. The plant also helps with toxicosis in pregnant women.
Possible side effects and harms
Like any medicinal plant, valerian officinalis has a number of side properties that you should definitelyreview before starting the course. There are few of them:
- Drowsy.
- Depression.
- Reduced performance.
- Dizziness.
- Rarely, medication can cause nightmares and nervous overexcitation.
Most often, such negative consequences occur when the dosage of the drug is incorrect, leading to the fact that an excessive amount of valerian enters the body. Getting rid of them is very simple - reduce the dosage or give up the medicine for a while.
A contraindication to taking valerian officinalis is individual intolerance. You can not take medicines containing rhizomes or roots of a plant at the same time with alcohol, barbiturates and opiates. In addition, the use of a plant is highly undesirable without prior agreement with a physician in the following cases:
- Stomach ulcer.
- Acute gastritis.
Alcohol tincture should not be used while driving, as well as with a tendency to alcoholism.
Planting and growing
Some owners of summer cottages prefer to breed a wonderful plant on their own, unpretentious in care, in order to always have valuable raw materials at hand. Growing valerian officinalis will not cause any particular difficulties, but it is best to sow seeds in light black soil, then they will germinate with 100% probability in 13-20 days. In the first year, rosettes of basal leaves will be formed, starting from the second year, the plant will already bloom and produce seeds.
To obtain a rich harvest of medicinal rhizomes, organic fertilizers should be used, rotted manure will be especially useful, mineral dressings are also acceptable. Weed removal and soil loosening are also needed.
Procurement of raw materials
The best time to collect and start drying raw valerian officinalis is from October to November, the rhizomes will turn brown and dry at this time, but spring harvesting of raw materials is also acceptable. In order for the plant to recover, the reuse of the same bush is carried out no earlier than a year later. The preparation includes several stages:
- Cleansing of rhizomes and roots from the ground.
- Thorough rinsing. At the same time, thick rhizomes can be cut into 3-4 parts.
- Drying outdoors (1-2 hours).
- Drying at +35°C. You should not create a higher temperature, otherwise the plant will lose most of its essential oils.
It is best to dry valerian in the attic or in special dryers, where it is easiest to create the required temperature. Ready raw materials are easily identified by the fact that the roots break when exposed. Valerian should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated area for no more than three years.
It is interesting that the collection of a wild plant on an industrial scale began during the reign of Peter I, at the same time, valerian began to be used as a raw material for export, selling profitably toEuropean countries.
Review of pharmacological preparations
The use of valerian officinalis is diverse, consider the main drugs that are used by modern medicine. The information is presented in the form of a table.
| Name | Short description | Application features |
| Infusion | Prepared independently from dried raw materials: 2, 5 tbsp. l. in a glass of hot water, infused for 45 minutes. | Use half an hour after eating, drinking 2-3 tbsp. l. The shelf life of the finished infusion is no more than 48 hours. |
| Tincture | Alcohol 70% is used for its preparation. On the shelves of pharmacies can be found ready-made in 30 ml bottles. | Applied drop by drop: adults up to 30 drops, for children the number of drops is equal to age. You can drink the tincture up to 4 times a day. |
| Dense extract | It is a mass of dark green color and thick consistency, with a characteristic aroma. Sold in the form of coated tablets. | The most convenient to take, it is recommended to eat 1-2 tablets at a time, drinking plenty of water. |
| Sedation gathering | Here, crushed rhizomes and valerian roots are one of the components of the composition, the collection also includes mint leaves, hop cones and some othersplants. | Used for making infusion: 2 tbsp. l. raw materials are poured with 2 cups of boiling water and infused for half an hour. Take twice a day for ½ cup. |
| "Corvalol" | Combined drug, one of the components of which is bromisovaleric acid. It is a colorless liquid with a recognizable odor. | Used for insomnia, heart pain, intestinal cramps, tachycardia. Ingestion, drop by drop (up to 30 drops, with tachycardia it is permissible to increase the dosage to 45 drops) |
| "Valocormide" | Combined preparation, which contains valerian tincture, in addition to it - tinctures of lily of the valley and belladonna. It is a colorless liquid with a s alty taste. | Used for certain diseases of the heart and blood vessels, accompanied by bradycardia. |
| Camphor-valerian drops | They are a reddish-brown liquid with a pronounced smell of valerian and camphor. | Used as a sedative, 15-20 drops three times a day. |
| "Angisedin" | Tablets of a complex composition, the component of which is valerian extract. Produced in Switzerland, they have a sedative and antispasmodic effect. | Used as a preventive measure, preventangina attacks, take 1 tablet after meals three times a day. |
In addition, valerian as a component is included in numerous homeopathic preparations designed to solve the problem of insomnia, intestinal disorders, increased irritability, stress. Some of them are also useful for women during menopause.
Charges for insomnia
Valerian is a plant that is the most important component that helps with insomnia. Let's get acquainted with some of the most effective fees from the piggy bank of folk wisdom:
- Valerian roots, lemon balm herb and yarrow in equal amounts are poured with boiling water in the proportion of 1 part of plants to 10 parts of water. Drink ½ cup a day.
- Valerian roots and hop cones in equal amounts are poured with water in a ratio of 1:1:10. Apply 1 glass three times a day.
- 20 grams each of the following plant: hop cones, peppermint and lemon balm (leaves), St. John's wort (grass), valerian (roots) should be added to a glass of boiling water and infused for 20 minutes. Drink a glass a day.
For the preparation of any infusion, you can use a thermos, this will keep the temperature.
Interesting facts
In conclusion, we offer you to get acquainted with a selection of interesting facts about the plant valerian officinalis:
- Egyptian Queen Cleopatra used the flowers of the plant as a natural aphrodisiac, throwing them around her bedroom.
- Modern perfumers sometimesuse valerian as a raw material to create unique fragrances.
- Valerian essential oil can be used for massages and baths, in which case it will help get rid of stress, reduce muscle pain.
- You can use not only dried raw materials, but also fresh juice of leaves and rhizomes, it is most often used externally for the treatment of skin diseases and burns, purulent wounds.
- Oriental doctors use valerian preparations to remove freckles and give skin an even tone.
- The plant has an amazing effect on cats, causing them to roll on the floor and take the most amazing poses. This is due to the fact that in its aroma, the rhizome of valerian is similar to pheromones, which are secreted by the body of cats during estrus. Therefore, little kittens will not pay any attention to the drug until puberty.
For more information about the properties of valerian, see the video.
Valerian officinalis is the most valuable gift of nature, which, when used correctly, helps to solve a number of problems. There are a large number of preparations in which the roots and rhizomes of the plant have found their application. These are sedatives, antispasmodics, allowing you to forget about insomnia, neurosis, nervous excitability, reduce the effects of stress.
