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Review A systematic review of valerian as a sleep aid: safe but not effective. 2007
Taibi DM, Landis CA, Petry H, Vitiello MV. · Women's Health Nursing Research Training Grant, Department of Family and Child Nursing, University of Washington, Box 357262, Seattle, WA 98195-7262, USA. · Sleep Med Rev. · Pubmed #17517355 No free full text.
Abstract: Valerian is an herb that is widely available in a variety of commercial preparations and is commonly used as a sleep aid. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of valerian concluded that evidence in support of the effectiveness of the herb was inconclusive. Therefore, in an effort to more closely examine this issue, a systematic review was conducted to examine the evidence on the efficacy of valerian as a sleep aid with specific attention to the type of preparations tested and the characteristics of the subjects studied. A comprehensive search of studies investigating valerian was conducted through computerized databases and hand searches of reference lists. Standardized forms were used to summarize findings and standardized criteria were used to assess study quality. Out of 592 articles initially identified, a total of 36 articles describing 37 separate studies met criteria for review: 29 controlled trials evaluated for both efficacy and safety, and eight open-label trials evaluated for safety only. Most studies found no significant differences between valerian and placebo either in healthy individuals or in persons with general sleep disturbance or insomnia. None of the most recent studies, which were also the most methodologically rigorous, found significant effects of valerian on sleep. Overall, the evidence, while supporting that valerian is a safe herb associated with only rare adverse events, does not support the clinical efficacy of valerian as a sleep aid for insomnia.
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Clinical Conference A randomized clinical trial of valerian fails to improve self-reported, polysomnographic, and actigraphic sleep in older women with insomnia. 2009
Taibi DM, Vitiello MV, Barsness S, Elmer GW, Anderson GD, Landis CA. · Department of Biobehavioral Nursing & Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Box 357266, Seattle, WA 98195-7262, USA. · Sleep Med. · Pubmed #18482867 No free full text.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To test the effects of nightly valerian (Valeriana officinalis) extract to improve sleep of older women with insomnia. METHODS: Participants in this phase 2 randomized, double-blind, crossover controlled trial were 16 older women (mean age=69.4+/-8.1 years) with insomnia. Participants took 300 mg of concentrated valerian extract or placebo 30 min before bedtime for 2 weeks. Sleep was assessed in the laboratory by self-report and polysomnography (PSG) at baseline and again at the beginning and end of each treatment phase (total of nine nights in the laboratory) and at home by daily sleep logs and actigraphy. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between valerian and placebo after a single dose or after 2 weeks of nightly dosing on any measure of sleep latency, wake after sleep onset (WASO), sleep efficiency, and self-rated sleep quality. In comparing each treatment to baseline in separate comparisons, WASO significantly increased (+17.7+/-25.6 min, p=.02) after 2 weeks of nightly valerian, but not after placebo (+6.8+/-26.4 min, NS). Side effects were minor and did not differ significantly between valerian and placebo. CONCLUSION: Valerian did not improve sleep in this sample of older women with insomnia. Findings from this study add to the scientific evidence that does not support use of valerian in the clinical management of insomnia.
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