General information on Valerian

2. SYNONYM: Indian Valerian, Valerian jatamansi
BIOLOGICAL SOURCE: It consists of dried
rhizome, stolons and roots of Valeriana wallichii DC.
FAMILY: Valerianaceae
GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE: found abundant in
Himalayas , Afghanistan and Pakistan

3. Commercial products

4. MACROSCOPY:
Colour: rhizomedull yellowish brown; stolon yellowish
grey; rootyellowish brown.
Odour: characteristic , penetrating, resembling in
isoraleric acid
Taste: bitter and camphoraceous
Size :rhizome : 48 cm long and 420 mm thickness
Shape: rhizome is sub cylindrical, flattened, dorsiventral
curved and unbranched.

5. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:
1) It contains pale brown to amber color oil about 1% and alkaloids
chatinine and valerian.
2) “Valirate” is responsible for the therapeutic activity of the drug.
3) Volatile oil contains borneolformate,borneol acetate, camphene etc.
USES:
They have antispasmodic and depressant action on CNS.
Used as stimulant, carminative, tonic and in perfume.