Side Effects of Valerian

When it comes to valerian, many people may feel very unfamiliar with it, but despite this, it is widely used in our daily life, especially in the preparation of traditional Chinese medicine. It can be used as medicine to treat a variety of diseases, but it also has many side effects, especially for pregnant women, the various side effects will be more obvious, so pregnant women need to avoid contact with valerian.

1. Overview of Valerian

Valerian is a precious medicinal herb that is very common in ancient books. Its medicinal effect is very significant and can treat a variety of diseases. It even appears in many Western medicines today. Valerian is a perennial cold-resistant, flowering, herb that can reach 120 cm in height. The rhizome is thick and short, head-shaped, with a hollow stem. The stem leaves are ovate to broadly ovate, the umbel panicle is terminal, the corolla is lavender or white, the filaments are flat, and the flowering and fruiting period is July-September. The valerian flowering period is from June to September in the northern hemisphere every year. The flowers are white or pink and have a strong fragrance.

2. Side effects of valerian on pregnant women

Patients with insomnia can take 300-600 mg before bedtime, which is equivalent to 2-3 g of valerian dry root powder soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes. The FDA has recognized valerian as a safe drug with very few allergic reactions. In randomized trials, <10% of subjects experienced acute adverse reactions, including nausea, headache, dizziness, and regurgitation, and long-term use can lead to mild depression. There are no reports of problems with its use in children, pregnant women, or breastfeeding women, and further research is needed on its safety. Taking 900 mg of valerian per day still has a sedative effect during the day. In a double-blind crossover trial, valerian root did not reduce reaction time, alertness, or concentration in patients taking 600 mg of a valerian root preparation daily compared with a placebo.

It is not advisable to take medication during pregnancy to reduce harm to the fetus. Valerian has a sedative effect, can strengthen the inhibitory process of the cerebral cortex, reduce reflex excitability, and relieve smooth muscle spasms. It can be used in combination with bromine for various nervous excitement states. Cardiovascular neurosis, hyperthyroidism, etc., have a sedative effect on frogs, mice, rabbits, etc.; valerian triesters, a group of substances isolated from valerian, have a sedative effect on mice and improve their ability to coordinate movements. They also show a certain sedative effect on free-moving cats, reducing their excitement and aggressive state, while their reactivity to the outside world is not affected. Valerian itself does not cause sleep in animals, but it can enhance the sleep effect of barbiturates and inhibit the general activity of animals.

Certain components in valerian have the effect of lowering blood pressure in animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, and mice). This effect is related to parasympathetic effects, blocking the carotid sinus reflex, and inhibiting the central nervous system. In isolated hearts, it can inhibit the systolic effect of cardiotonic drugs on frog hearts, but cannot antagonize the arrhythmia caused by aconitine. Appropriate doses injected into the veins or rectum of cats or rabbits can stimulate breathing, but it has no excitatory effect when the anesthesia is deep with chloral hydrate. Large doses can also inhibit the breathing of normal animals. So, in summary, pregnant women should reduce the chances of using valerian.