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Valerian Root & Alzheimer's

Jun 10, 2011 | By Jessica Ramer
Valerian Root & Alzheimer's
Photo Credit Siri Stafford/Lifesize/Getty Images

There are actually two types of valerian that may be of interest to Alzheimer's patients or their caregivers. The first is Valeriana officinalis, which you have probably seen sold as a sleep aid in health food stores. The second is Valeriana amurensis, which grows throughout east Asia but which is largely unknown in the West.

Valeriana Officinalis and Sleep

Insomnia is common among Alzheimer's patients and is a leading cause of institutionalization, apparently because this condition has a severe impact on the caregiver's sleep and quality of life. Valeriana officinalis has long been used by herbalists and traditional healers as a remedy for insomnia, but scientific research to back this practice is lacking. An April 2011 paper in "Sleep Medicine Reviews" found that the scientific studies purporting to show that valerian improved sleep suffered from small sample sizes and inadequate controls. The authors found, however, that acupressure, tai chi and yoga did seem to improve sleep while evidence for acupuncture and L-tryptophan was mixed.

Valeriana Officinalis and Anxiety

Anxiety and agitation are also common in Alzheimer's disease. However, an article published in the August 2007 issue of the "American Family Physician" advised doctors not to recommend valerian as a treatment for anxiety because the studies of this herb often used small samples and showed minimal and inconsistent effects. If you do want to encourage an Alzheimer's patient to try valerian, remember that it contains pharmacologically active compounds that can interact with other drugs he is already taking. A case study in the December 2009 issue of "Phytotherapy Research" mentions a patient who added valerian to the antianxiety drug Lorazepam. Within 32 hours, he experienced shaking, dizziness and muscular fatigue. Always inform the doctor about supplements being taken.

Plaques in Rat Brains

An article published in the February 2010 issue of the Chinese journal "Zhong Yao Kai" reported the results of experiments involving extracts of another plant in the valerian family, Valeriana amurensis. These compounds decreased the harmful changes in the brains of rats bred to develop a condition similar to Alzheimer's disease. An area of the brain known as the hippocampus, which is important for memory formation, is severely affected by this disorder, but Valeriana amurensis reduced the number of abnormalities in this region.

Valeriana Amurensis and Neuroinflammation

Inflammation is also thought to play a central role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Chinese scientists published a 2010 article in "Zhong Yao Cai" reporting that extracts from the roots and rhizomes of Valeriana amurensis were able to inhibit the inflammatory response in both the hippocampus and cortex. However, more studies are needed before this plant can be used to treat humans suffering from Alzheimer's disease. An additional note of caution is that at least one member of the genus Valeriana is thought to be poisonous, at least in its raw state. Therefore, if you are tempted to try this treatment on your own, which is not recommended, be sure that your source for this plant is a reliable one.

References

Article reviewed by Tad Cronn Last updated on: Jun 10, 2011

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