VALERIAN, Valeriana, a genus of plants of the natural order of valerianacea, an order of exogenous plants, containing nearly 200 known species, natives of temperate climates, chiefly of Europe, the mountainous parts of India, and South America; annual or perennial herbaceous plants with opposite leaves, destitute of stipules, and small flowers in cymes. They are nearly allied to dipsaeacea3 (see TEASEL), but differ in the mode of inflorescence, and in the seeds being destitute of albumen. The fruit also is not simply 1-celled, but exhibits two other abortive cells, and the stamens are 1-5, the stigmas 1-3. The corolla is sometimes spurred.—The genus valeriann is distinguished by a pappus-like calyx, a spurless corolla, and three stamens. The species are pretty numerous. The common valerian (V. officinalis) is abundant in ditches, moist woods, etc., in Britian and throughout Europe. It has a fleshy root, pinnatifid leaves, a stem 2-4 ft. high, and pale flesh-colored flowers. The root is a well-known medicine, used both by physicians and as a domestic remedy in spasms, epilepsy, hysteria, and other nervous affections. It possesses powerful antispasmodic properties, and a very consid erable influence over the nervous system. Cats are very fond of it, and it exercises a remarkable stimulating and intoxicating power over them. Although the plant grows chiefly in damp soils, the root is most powerfully medicinal in dry hilly ground.
The roots should be collected in autumn; and those from wild plants growing on a dry soil are preferred. The chief ingredients of valerian arc woody fiber, resinous and gum-like matters, and a little more than one per cent of a volatile oil, which is crystal lizable, and has been termed valerole, and in which a well-known acid (also obtained from several other sources), valeriante or valeric acid, is developed on exposure to the air. Valerian imparts its therapeutic properties, which are those of a stimulating anti spasmodic agent, both to water and to alcohol. There are three officinal preparations—
viz., the infusion, the tincture, and the ammoniated tincture. In large doses, valerian produces considerable disturbance of the nervous system, as headache, vertigo, and even temporary blindness. In average doses—as, for example, in from one to two ounces of infusion, and from half a dram to two drams of either of the tinctures—it is a very efficacious remedy in those severe cases of hysteria which closely simulate epilepsy, and in chorea. As some of the salts of valerianic acid—viz., the valerianates of soda, zinc, ammonia, iron, and quinine—act similarly to and with more certainty than the above named preparations, we may infer that the therapeutic action of the remedy is solely due to the acid; and as the infusion and tinctures are by no means agreeable medicines, they will probably soon be replaced by the valerianates.
The SMALL MARSH VALERIAN (V. dioica), also a native of Britain, is much less power ful than the common species.—The greater valerian (V. phu), which grows in alpine districts of the continent of Europe, is now almost entirely disused, although it is said to be one of the strongest of the European valerians, a pre-eminence which V. dioscoridis disputes with it.—V. Celtica and V. saluinca are gathered near the limits of perpetual snow on the mountains of Styria and Carinthia, and carried into Turkey and Egypt, and thence into India and Ethiopia, to be used to aromatize baths, and as a substitute for Spikenard (q.v.).—V. sitchensis, a native of the n.w. of America, is said to possess the medicinal properties of the genus in great perfection. V. Hardwickii is used medicin ally in Nepaul.—The root of V. edulis, a species found in the n.w. of America, is an article of food of the Indians.—Corn salad (q.v.) or lamb's lettuce belongs to the order valerianacece.