| Health / Medical Topics |
Valerian
Pronunciation
Definition 1
A plant whose roots are used as a sedative and to treat certain medical conditions. It is being studied as a way to improve sleep in cancer patients undergoing treatment. Also called garden heliotrope, garden valerian, Indian valerian, Mexican valerian, Pacific valerian, Valeriana officinalis, and Valerianae radix. (NCI Dictionary)
Definition 2
An herbal extract isolated from the root of the plant Valeriana officinalis with sedative and anxiolytic activities. Valeriana officinalis extract contains four distinct classes of phytochemical constituents: volatile oils; sesquiterpenoids, including valerenic acid and its hydroxyl and acetoxyl derivative; valepotriates; and volatile pyridine alkaloids. Although the exact mechanism of action has not been established, the sesquiterpenoids in Valeriana officinalis extract, particularly valerenic acid, appear to account for its sedative and anxiolytic effects. Valerenic acid is both a subtype-selective GABA-A receptor agonist and a 5HT-5A receptor partial agonist. The sedative-hypnotic benzodiazepines are GABA-A receptor agonists. (NCI Thesaurus)
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
