Valeriana

Thesaurus

Noun

Valeriana - genus of widely distributed perennial herbs and some shrubsgenus Valerianaasterid dicot genus - genus of more or less advanced dicotyledonous herbs and some trees and shrubsfamily Valerianaceae, valerian family, Valerianaceae - genus of mostly herbs having a characteristic fetid odorvalerian - a plant of the genus Valeriana having lobed or dissected leaves and cymose white or pink flowers

Valeriana

a genus of perennial grassy plants of the family Valerianaceae. The leaves of the valerian are whole, tripartate, or pinnatisect. The flowers are small and collected into complex inflorescences, which are shield-shaped, head-shaped, or, more rarely, brushlike. The corolla is funnel-shaped, bell-shaped, or trumpet-shaped, on a base with a one-sided sac-shaped swelling and an irregular five-petal limb. The teeth of the calyx, inconspicuous during blossoming, grow with the development of the fruit (an achene) into a tuft of plumose-ciliate setae. Beneath this are the ovaries. There are more than 200 species, distributed mainly in the Andes of South America, the temperate zone of North America, and throughout Eurasia. There are about 30 species in the USSR.

The most widely distributed is the combined species V. officinalis. The stalk is straight and as high as 200 cm. The leaves are usually opposed, and the rhizomes are truncate, with numerous, light brown roots. The flowers are small and bisexual. The plant blooms from the end of May until August, with fruits that are seeds. It is found almost everywhere in the USSR, with the exception of the regions of the Far North and the desert. Valerian roots and rhizomes are used in medicines because they contain volatile oil (the main formant of which is isobornyl ether); valerianic, acetic, and formic acids; alkaloids (valerian and chatinine); tannic substances; and sugar.

Preparations of valerian (infusions, extracts, and liqueurs in spirits or ether) are used as tranquilizing agents in cases of nervous excitement, insomnia, neuroses of the cardiovascular system, spasms of the intestinal tract, and so on. Usually preparations of valerian are combined with other tranquilizing and cardiac agents. Valeriana roots and rhizomes are used in the manufacture of relaxant tea. Crops of wild valeriana are raised in the Ukraine, Byelorussia, the Central Povolzh’e, Krasnodar Krai, and several other areas. They are cultivated in Voronezh, Moscow, Novosibirsk, and Kirov oblasts and in Byelorussia. Valerian plants are sown after winter crops or tuberous root plants. The seeds are sown in rows with dividers 45-60 cm wide in early spring, summer, or just before winter. With summer sowing, the roots are gathered in the fall of the following year, and with spring or fall sowing, they are gathered in the first or second year of cultivation. The yield of dry rhizomes is 5-25 centners per hectare (ha), and the yield of seeds is about 2 centners per ha. The most dangerous of the Valeriana’s diseases are rust and mealy dew, and the most dangerous pests are the valerian beetle, the winter moth, and the May beetle.

REFERENCESS

Voroshilov, V. N. Lekarstvennaia valeriana. Moscow, 1959.
Atlas lekarstvennykh rastenii SSSR. Moscow, 1962.

Valeriana

valerian

(vuh-lare-ee-en) valerian,

Amantilla

(trade name),

All-Heal

(trade name),

Baldrian

(trade name),

Baldrianwurzel

(trade name),

Belgium Valerian

(trade name),

Common Valerian

(trade name),

Fragrant Valerian

(trade name),

Garden Heliotrope

(trade name),

Garden Valerian

(trade name),

Indian Valerian

(trade name),

Mexican Valerian

(trade name),

Pacific Valerian

(trade name),

Tagara

(trade name),

Valeriana

(trade name),

Valeriana officinalis

(trade name),

Valerianae radix

(trade name),

Valeriana rhizome

(trade name),

Valeriane

(trade name)

Classification

Therapeutic: antianxiety agents
InsomniaAnxiety

Action

May increase concentrations of the inhibitory CNS transmitter GABA.

Therapeutic effects

Improvement in sleep quality.

Pharmacokinetics

Absorption: Unknown.Distribution: Unknown.Metabolism and Excretion: Unknown.Half-life: Unknown.

Time/action profile

ROUTE	ONSET	PEAK	DURATION
PO	30–60 min	2 hr	unknown

Contraindications/Precautions

Contraindicated in: Pregnancy and lactation.Use Cautiously in: Alcohol use (may have additive sedative effects); Surgery (discontinue use 2 weeks prior to elective procedures).

Adverse Reactions/Side Effects

Central nervous system

drowsiness
headache

Gastrointestinal

dry mouth

Miscellaneous

Benzodiazepine-like withdrawal symptoms with discontinuation after long-term use

Interactions

Additive CNS depression with alcohol, antihistamines, anesthetic agentssedative hypnotics and other CNS depressants.Alcohol-containing preparations may interact with disulfiram and metronidazole.Additive sedative effects can occur when used with herbal supplements with sedative properties such as kava, l-tryptophan, melatonin, SAMe, and St. John's wort.Oral (Adults) Tea—1 cup tea 1–5 times daily. Tea is made by steeping 2–3 g root in 150 mL boiling water for 5–10 min then straining. Tincture—1–3 mL 1–5 times daily. Extract—400–900 mg up to 2 hours before bedtime or 300–450 mg divided tid.

Availability

Capsules: ^OTCExtract: ^OTCTea: ^OTCTincture: ^OTC

Nursing implications

Nursing assessment

Assess degree of anxiety and level of sedation prior to and periodically throughout therapy.
Assess sleep patterns.
Assess response in the elderly population where drowsiness and loss of balance may pose a significant risk for injury.

Potential Nursing Diagnoses

Anxiety (Indications)
Risk for injury (Side Effects)

Implementation

Take one to two hours before bedtime if used for nighttime hypnotic.
Administer orally three to five times daily to control anxiety.

Patient/Family Teaching

Encourage patients to avoid stimulants such as caffeine and to provide an environment that promotes restful sleep.
May cause drowsiness. Caution patient to avoid driving or other activities requiring alertness until response to drug is known.
Caution patient to avoid use of alcohol and other medications or herbals that have a sedative effect; may increase drowsiness.
Advise patients to discontinue 2 weeks prior to elective surgical procedures.
Inform patients not to take this herbal supplement if pregnant or breast-feeding.
Notify patients that dependence with withdrawal symptoms may develop with prolonged use.

Evaluation/Desired Outcomes

Decreased anxiety level.
Improvement in sleep with a feeling of restfulness without drowsiness upon awakening.

Valeriana

Valeriana

Valeriana

REFERENCESS

Valeriana

valerian

Amantilla

All-Heal

Baldrian

Baldrianwurzel

Belgium Valerian

Common Valerian

Fragrant Valerian

Garden Heliotrope

Garden Valerian

Indian Valerian

Mexican Valerian

Pacific Valerian

Tagara

Valeriana

Valeriana officinalis

Valerianae radix

Valeriana rhizome

Valeriane

Classification

Action

Therapeutic effects

Pharmacokinetics

Time/action profile

Contraindications/Precautions

Adverse Reactions/Side Effects

Central nervous system

Gastrointestinal

Miscellaneous

Interactions

Availability

Nursing implications

Nursing assessment

Potential Nursing Diagnoses

Implementation

Patient/Family Teaching

Evaluation/Desired Outcomes

Valeriana

Synonyms for Valeriana

noun genus of widely distributed perennial herbs and some shrubs

Synonyms

Related Words