High blood pressure -- or hypertension -- is the excessively forceful impact of blood against your artery walls. Although hypertension is a serious condition that can raise your risk of heart attack, stroke and early death, it often causes no symptoms. MayoClinic.com recommends blood pressure screenings at least every two years, beginning at age 20. Natural healers sometimes recommend valerian root to treat insomnia, anxiety and digestive disorders. As a mild relaxant, valerian is probably more likely to help relieve high blood pressure than to cause it. Consult your doctor before using valerian root.
Constituents
Valerian -- botanically called valeriana officinalis -- is a common perennial herb cultivated in Europe, North America and Asia. The root, used in herbal medications, contains tannins, alkaloids, choline, borneol and a group of monoterpenes called iridoids, which include valepotriates and valtrate. Organic acids -- including caffeic and chlorogenic acids -- are present in valerian root, as is the anti-inflammatory compound beta-sitosterol. The calming neurotransmitter GABA is also found in valerian root, but some researchers believe its limited bioavailability prevents it from having much effect.
Effects
Valerian root -- long valued in traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda and folk medicine for its sedative properties -- is currently widely used in Europe as a sleep aid. Valerian root has not been reported to raise blood pressure. The Office of Dietary Supplements notes that valerian reduced blood pressure -- along with heart rate and skeletal muscle tone -- in one clinical study. Drugs.com reports that valerian decreases central nervous system activity in animal studies, and credits it with anxiolytic -- or anxiety-reducing -- effects on rats; the sedative effect may be due to binding of GABA receptors by valerenic acid. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reports that valerian has not been shown to be more effective than placebo in treating insomnia, but acknowledges it can improve sleep quality. Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health states that valerian root may help you fall asleep more easily and sleep more deeply.
Research
According to a recent double-blind clinical study published in 2011 in "Journal of Supportive Oncology," cancer patients who were given valerian reported less trouble sleeping than those given placebo. In an earlier clinical study published in 2000 in "Pharmacopsychiatry," researchers found that valerian performed significantly better than placebo in helping patients with insomnia fall asleep, but multiple doses, over time, were required; a single dose had no effect. The team noted that the patients who were given valerian reported far fewer adverse effects than the patients on placebo, and concluded that valerian's positive effects on sleep structure justified its recommendation for patients with mild psychophysiological insomnia.
Usage and Considerations
The usual dosage for insomnia is 400 to 600 mg of valerian root extract, taken 30 minutes to one hour before bedtime. Drugs.com notes that valerian is generally devoid of adverse effects; mild headaches and diarrhea have been reported. Raised blood pressure is not listed as a side effect, although Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health reports that valerian can cause abnormal heartbeat. Valerian root may interact with prescription medications. Consult your doctor before taking valerian root; don't take it before driving, or when alertness is required. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, don't use valerian.
References
- Drugs.com: Complete Valerian Information
- MayoClinic.com: High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Causes
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Valerian
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Valerian
- "Journal of Supportive Oncology"; The Use of Valeriana Officinalis (Valerian) in Improving Sleep in Patients Who Are Undergoing Treatment for Cancer: a Phase III Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Study; D.L. Barton et al.; January 2011
- "Pharmacopsychiatry"; Critical Evaluation of the Effect of Valerian Extract on Sleep Structure and Sleep Quality; F. Donath et al.; March 2000
