Valerian or Cat grass with the scientific name of Valeriana officinalis is the plant with rests and perennial bushes and it is growing in Europe and some parts of Asia. It has a short root and shrub with a height of between 50-150 cm . The root of this plant has medicinal value in traditional medicine and it is used as a nerve sedative, Hypnotic, anticonvulsant, depression treatment, digesting food and anti-nausea.
Cat grass is named for this plant due to its features that cats are attracted to them and it has a psychoactive effect on the cats. This kind of property on them is due to the presence of actinidin in extracts of this plant that is similar to pheromones of cat’s body. This plant has a similar effect on the rats either.
The healing properties of valerian (grass Cat) , that is a herbaceous perennial plant which stems of that grows vertically to a height of two meters.
This plant grows in the wild mode In the location of margins of streams and pits in most parts of Asia and Iran and in the forests of contains few trees .
Valerian has a pleasant smell and the cats detected the smells of them from the far distance and go throw them and to tumble around them and intoxicated from the smell of them. Valerian flowers are clustered and in the color of white or pink.
The usable part of this plant is its roots and usually, the usable ones are the ones that have more than three years. After dried they are come to be brown. It has a bitter taste but it is fragrant. Its aroma increases after it is drying.
Chemical compounds
The roots of Valerian has one percent of the essence. This essence is more in the fresh roots and when the roots come to be dry the essence amount of the plant come to decrease but it will be stronger. The fresh essence has yellowish green color but it is come to be thick due to stay. Fresh roots have three times more medicinal effects than the dried one. Valerian should be dried at a low temperature and high temperature destroys all of its pharmacological effects.
Medicinal properties
Valerian root is hot and dry from the Iranian ancient medicine. The important properties are as follows.
The important properties of them are as follows:
- Anti-a seizure effect
- Useful in removing neurological disorders and hysteria
- Antispasmodic and sedative
- Febrifuge
- Cures of Insomnia
- Against intestinal worms
- Anti excitement
- Relieve migraines
- Helpful to dispel apprehension and anxiety
- Has a beneficial effect in the treatment of Melancholia disease
- Effective in relieving sciatica pain
- Destroys Persistent hiccups
- Relieve chest pain
- Relieve Vomiting
- Effective in the treatment of diabetes
- To heal the wound sprinkle Valerian powder on them
How to use
1) Valerian powder: minced Valerian root and dry it in the 40 degrees of temperature then mill and finely sieve it. This powder is use as anti-seizure. An amount of Valerian consume is 5-10 grams per days.
2) Valerian blend: mix 4 grams of Valerian root powder with 4 grams fennel and 4 grams of pulverized sugar. Divide this mixed into 4 parts and eat it in Equal intervals during a day.
3) Valerian tincture: Minced 100 grams of Valerian root and pour it in half a liter of medical 60 degrees alcohol and let it stay. Stir it several times each day and clear it after 15 days and keep it in a closed glass. The dose of use is 10-30 drops.
Proper functioning of the central nervous system is regulated by receptors (receptors) in the brain that called GABA receptors. Based on laboratory studies, it was found that valerian may weaken and undermine these receptors connections. Thus, somewhat the mechanism of action and its effectiveness determined. In fact, this information explains that why Valerian can help the people to ease stress and worries away. Several studies have shown that this herb is an effective therapeutic effect on people who have varying degrees of insomnia. Generally, valerian makes sleep is associated with great calmness and also made the transition to sleep easier.
But in these studies, it was not observed that this plant increase the whole time of sleep. 2 other kinds of research were done on this plant. In another research, it was seen that the compound of Valerian and Lemon balm is very effective in improving sleep quality and treatment of Insomnia sickness. Another feature of this plant is the manganese that is used to treat hair white. Amount and timing of determining a value for the consumption of the plant is a difficult task, but in the different sources of scientific about medicinal plants, it is something about 1-10 grams. If you use tapper of the roots of this plant for the treatment of insomnia , it should be used 30-60 minutes before the sleep. Products of the dried roots of this plant are 5.1 to 2 grams, and they should be used 30-60 minutes before the sleep. Someone mixed this plant with Lemon balm, Common hop, Passionflower, Scalp and after that use it. Consumption of the fresh valerian is more efficient than the dried one.
side effects of various studies show that this plant doesn’t have any devastating effect on people’s ability to drive and work on different machines. The only report was the man that use 5-20 times more Valerian for long years and suddenly cut the consumption and it made him the heart attack. Even due when people use Valerian in the recommended amount it will not lead to addiction and dependency for the consumer. In the another person that he/she (18 years old) wanted to Suicide only these moods such as Fatigue, abdominal pain, tremors and trembling in hands and feet were reported. This person had used the 000/20 mg roots of Valerian plant that is about 40-50 percentage more than the recommended amount. It seems that taking valerian before bed doesn’t cause problems in a person’s alertness and concentration up in the morning. Although there is not any known reason that Contraindications using Valerian at the time of pregnancy but it is recommended to don’t consume it in this time. So you must have caution in use it.