Abstract
The effect of an aqueous extract of valerian root on sleep was studied in two groups of healthy, young subjects. One group (N=10) slept at home, the other (N=8) in the sleep laboratory. Sleep was evaluated on the basis of questionnaires, self-rating scales and night-time motor activity. In addition, polygraphic sleep recordings and spectral analysis of the sleep EEG was performed in the laboratory group. Under home conditions, both doses of valerian extract (450 and 900 mg) reduced perceived sleep latency and wake time after sleep onset. Night-time motor activity was enhanced in the middle third of the night and reduced in the last third. The data suggest a dose-dependent effect. In the sleep laboratory, where only the higher dose of valerian was tested, no significant differences from placebo were obtained. However, the direction of the changes in the subjective and objective measures of sleep latency and wake time after sleep onset, as well as in night-time motor activity, corresponded to that observed under home conditions. There was no evidence for a change in sleep stages and EEG spectra. The results indicate that the aqueous valerian extract exerts a mild hypnotic action.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Borbély AA (1984a) Ambulatory motor activity monitoring to study the timecourse of hypnotic action. Br J Clin Pharmacol 18:83S-86S
Borbély AA (1984b) Schlafgewohnheiten, Schlafqualität und Schlafmittekonsum der Schweizer Bevölkerung. Ergebnisse einer Repräsentativumfrage. Schweiz Ärztezeitung 65:1606–1613
Borbély AA, Baumann F, Brandeis D, Strauch I, Lehmann D (1981a) Sleep deprivation: Effect on sleep stages and EEG power density in man. Electroenceph Clin Neurophysiol 51:483–493
Borbély AA, Mattmann P, Loepfe M, Fellmann I, Gerne M, Strauch I, Lehmann D (1983) A single dose of benzodiazepine hypnotics alters the sleep EEG in the subsequent drug-free night. Eur J Pharmacol 89:157–161
Borbély AA, Mattmann P, Loepfe M, Strauch I, Lehmann D (1985) Effect of benzodiazepine hypnotics on all-night sleep EEG spectra. Human Neurobiol (in press)
Borbély AA, Neuhaus HU, Mattmann P, Waser PG (1981b) Langzeitregistrierung der Bewegungsaktivität: Anwendungen in Forschung und Klinik. Schweiz Med Wschr 111:730–735
Bounthanh C, Bergmann C, Beck JP, Haag-Berrurier M, Anton R (1981) Valepotriates, a new class of cytotoxic and antitumor agents. Planta Med 41:21–28
Braun R, Dittmar W, Machut M, Weickmann S (1982) Valepotriate mit Epoxidstruktur — beachtliche Alkylantien. Deutsche Apotheker Zeitung 122:1109–1113
Gessner B, Klassner M (1984) Untersuchung der Wirkung von Harmonicum Much auf den Schlaf mit Hilfe polygraphischer EEG-Aufzeichnungen. Z EEG-EMG 15:45–51
Hänsel R, Haar H (1983) Therapie mit Phytopharmaka. Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp 214–219
Hazelhoff B, Malingré TM, Meijer DKF (1982) Antispasmodic effects of valeriana compounds: an in-vivo and in-vitro study on the guinea-pig ileum. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 257:274–287
Langbein K, Martin HP, Sichrovsky P, Weiss H (1983) Bittere Pillen. 20. Auflage, Kiepenheuer und Witsch, Köln, pp 90–92
Leathwood PD, Chauffard F (1983) Quantifying the effects of mild sedatives. J Psychiat Res 17:115–122
Leathwood PD, Chauffard F (1985) Aqueous extract of valerian reduces latency to fall asleep in man. Planta Med (in press)
Leathwood PD, Chauffard F, Heck E, Munoz-Box R (1982) Aqueous extract of valerian root (Valeriana officinalis L.) improves sleep quality in man. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 17:65–71
Mendelson WB (1980) The use and misuse of sleeping pills. Plenum, New York
Tittel G, Chari VM, Wagner H (1978) HPLC-Analyse von Valeriana mexicana Extrakten. Planta Med 34:305–310
Wagner H, Juricic K, Schaette R (1980) Vergleichende Untersuchungen über die sedierende Wirkung von Baldrianextrakten, Valepotriaten und ihren Abbauprodukten. Planta Med 38:358–365
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Balderer, G., Borbély, A.A. Effect of valerian on human sleep. Psychopharmacology 87, 406–409 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432503
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432503