Valerian medicinal – valeriana officinalis l.
Popular names: valerian pharmacy, moun grass, cat grass, cat root, fever root, forest incense, cistus, etc.
Botanical characteristic. Valerian family. Perennial wild herbaceous plant up to 2 m high. The rhizome is powerful vertical, short, with numerous longish adventitious yellowish-brown roots. In the first year of life, only a rosette of basal leaves appears, in the second – flowering stems. Stems solitary, erect, furrowed, hollow inside. Leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate, lower petiolate, upper sessile. The flowers are pinkish-white, fragrant, collected in large corymbose inflorescences. Blooms in June – July (June – August) (color table II – 2).
Spreading. It grows along river floodplains, lake shores, swamps, in shaded ravines, along forest edges and shrubs, less often in mountains along rocky slopes almost throughout the entire territory of the Soviet Union, with the exception of the Far North and the desert regions of Central Asia. Cultivated in many state farms and collective farms, since the rhizome of cultivated plants is almost twice as large.
Medicinal raw materials. Use the rhizome and root, which are harvested in the fall in the fruiting phase. Shaking off the ground, they are washed in cold water and laid out in the air in the shade for 3-5 hours. Then they are dried in the shade, in attics, in ventilated rooms or dryers at a temperature not exceeding 25-35 ° C. Large rhizomes are cut in half. During drying, the raw materials will often need to be turned over, and then sorted out, removing the ground, sieved on a screen. Stored for 3 years in a dry place, separate from other plants, as valerian can perceive foreign odors, and other plants can perceive the smell of valerian.
Chemical composition. The roots and rhizomes of valerian contain an essential oil, the main component of which is valerian-borneol ether, also isovaleric acid, borneol, bicyclic monoterpenes (camphene, a-pinene) and monocyclic terpenes (1-limonene, d-terpineol), sequiterpene. The alkaloids valerine and hatinine, organic acids, etc. have been found in the roots.
pharmacological properties. Valerian has been used as a medicine since ancient times. Its industrial collection began under Peter I. Valerian has a multilateral effect on the body. In small doses, it moderately excites the central nervous system, in particular the respiratory and vasomotor centers, large doses cause depression of the central nervous system (especially with its increased excitability), enhancing the processes of inhibition in the cerebral cortex. In addition, at these doses, it enhances the action of neuroplegic and sedative agents, promotes the expansion of coronary vessels and relaxes smooth muscle spasms. Valerian enhances the secretion of the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract and bile secretion, suppresses fermentation processes in the intestines.
Application. Valerian is recommended as a sedative for nervous agitation, neuroses of the cardiovascular system, which are accompanied by spasms of the coronary vessels and palpitations, with hyperthyroidism, and also with spasms of the stomach and intestines.
Valerian is a part of various collections (carminative, choleretic, general calming action), products such as Zelenin drops, corvalol, valocormid, valocordin.
The rhizome and root of valerian in the form of infusions, decoctions or boluses are administered orally: horses 25-50 g, cattle 50-100, small cattle 5-15, pigs 5-10, dogs 1-5, chickens 0.5-1 G.
A tincture is prepared from the plant in 70% alcohol, which is used in spasmodic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract and coronary vessels, as a sedative. Doses inside: horses 20-50 ml, cattle 75-100, small cattle 10-15, pigs 5-10, dogs 2-5, chickens 0.5-1 ml. For spasmodic colic in horses, valerian tincture is used in combination with 10 g of ichthyol and 10 ml of ethyl ether (Evdokimov). Essential-valerian tincture is prescribed orally for the same indications as other valerian products, in doses: horses 10-30 g, cattle 15-40, small cattle 3-10, pigs 2-4, dogs 0.5- 2, chickens 0.2-1 g.
Doses of valerian extract inside: horses 0.6-2 g, cattle 1.0-3, pigs 0.1-0.2, dogs 0.05-0.08 g.
calf
Rp.: Tincturae Valerianae 50.0
DS Inside with food (milk) 20-25 drops 3 times every day (with cardioneurosis).
Pig
Rp.: Decocti radicis Valerianae 25.0–500.0 Natrii bromidi 5.0
MDS Inside 1/2 cup 2 times every day (for neuroses). For the preparation of infusion and decoction of valerian, our industry produces briquettes of rhizomes with the roots of the plant. Briquettes have a rectangular shape, weighing 75 g, which are divided by grooves into ten equal slices (7.5 g each).
Soothing collection – Species sedativae. Consists of rhizome with valerian roots (1 part), peppermint leaves and water trefoil (2 parts each), hop cones (1 part). To prepare the infusion, 1-2 tablespoons of the collection is poured with two glasses of boiling water, insisted in a sealed container for 30 minutes, filtered and administered to calves in a glass 2 times a day.
Valocormid – Valocormidum. A complex product containing valerian tincture and lily of the valley tincture 10 ml each, belladonna tincture 5 ml, sodium bromide 4 g, menthol 0.25 g, distilled water up to 30 ml. Approximate dose for calves: 5-10 drops 2-3 times daily before feeding.
Corvalol – Corvalolum. The combined product is identical in action to valocordin produced in the GDR.