Valerian

Category: adaptogen

Aliases: Valeriana officinalis

Pharmacological Mechanism

Root extract — valerenic acid + valepotriates positive allosteric modulators at GABA-A receptors. Sedative + anxiolytic; trialed for insomnia + mild anxiety with modest effect sizes. Often combined with hops, lemon balm, or melatonin.

Half-Life (t½)

PO: 1.5h

Dosing Guidelines

• PO: Typical 450mg (Range: 300 - 600 mg)

Target Organ Systems

• nervous
• endocrine