Valerian pharmacological effects

Glass JR, Sproule BA, Herrmann N, Streiner D, Busto UE (2003) Acute pharmacological effects of temazepam, diphenhydramine, and valerian in healthy elderly subjects. J Clin Psychopharmacol 23 260-268... 

Sesquiterpenols are found in appreciable amounts in oils of ginger, carrot, valerian, patchouli and vetiver. The pharmacological effects are quite varied and general properties assigned to them include anti-inflammatory, stimulant to liver and glands, and tonic. 

Numerous iridoids are involved in plant-animal interactions e.g. the defensive function of this type of compounds in ants. From the pharmacological standpoint, the applications of this class of compounds are rather limited. Some iridoids have anti-inflammatory activity, which is weak by the oral route and stronger by topical application e.g. 1 mg of aucubin, verbenalin, or loganin have an activity almost similar to that of 0.5 mg of indomethacin on the TPA-induced mouse ear edema. Some are ingredients in various forms of allopathic medications (valerian), others are typically, phytotherapeutic products (devil s claw, olive tree). Others receive attention for their non-pharmaceutical applications (yellow gentian). The hepatoprotective effects of picrosides I and II from kutkin, the crude active fraction in Picrorhiza kurroa is well known and documented. 

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