Valeriana - instructions for use and results of drug efficacy studies

Valerian is in every house, and we use it often - someone thus provides a full sleep, someone relieves undue tension and anxiety.And few people think that even a simple valerian is a medicine, and that means only one thing - uncontrolled, thoughtlessly to use it is not necessary, you need to know the possible contraindications and symptoms of an overdose.

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Valerian - instruction for use

The pharmacological industry offers consumers valerian in tablets and tincture - for them the indications and contraindications are identical, the differences consist only in the drug use regimen and daily dosage.The main component in the drugs under consideration is a thick extract of valerian, there are also auxiliary substances - they do not affect the clinical picture, so they should not be taken into account.

How does valerian work

What is known about the preparation in question?It calms, helps fight unaccountable anxiety and cope with intense excitement, improves sleep and ensures deep sleep. And that's what the instruction says:

1. Valerian acts directly on the nervous system - the agent simply depresses it.
2. When using tablets or tinctures of valerian, the heart rate slows down and the blood vessels expand.
3. Muscular tissue of the urinary and digestive system relaxes.

And if valerian is taken by a person for a long time, then in addition to the above actions, there will be an increase in the production of bile( choleretic action) and a decrease in blood pressure.

Indications for the intake of valerian

"Drink a tablet and calm down" - this is how many valerians perceive.But there are certain indications for the use of this drug - this is indicated in the official instructions to the drug, but who reads it? Remember when it is appropriate to start taking the drug:

1. Nervous agitation.This does not mean that it is necessary to use valerian for any disturbances, experiences - if they proceed within the limits of the norm, then the organism is able to cope with this state on its own, to stabilize the work of the nervous system.Only a really strong excitement, when neither a series of deep breaths / exhalations, nor a short-term sleep, nor meditation, can become an excuse for the use of tablets or tinctures of valerian.
2. Insomnia.Here it is worth to clarify that problems with falling asleep and restless sleep at night can be signs of a rather serious condition - it is a chronic fatigue syndrome.Therefore, if the lack of a normal night's sleep has become familiar, then you should not take valerian, and seek help from specialists.Some scientists generally reject the theory that the drug in question has a positive effect on sleep( this will be discussed a little later).
3. Migraine.Many people perceive this pathology as a "nerve disease" and try to restore their health by soothing means, including valerian.But migraine is a complex process in the body, which often proceeds not according to the classical version.Therefore valerian with a migraine can appoint only the attending physician - it, as a rule, is simply one of the components of the complex treatment.
4. Vegeto-vascular dystonia.Yes, valerian will help to cope with seizures / syndromes inherent only for VSD, but again - first visit a doctor, take a survey and only then can safely include the drug in question in the "diet".

Please note: is often prescribed by specialists in the treatment of certain diseases of the cardiovascular system and pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract( in particular, to relieve spasms).But valerian is not a panacea in such cases - it is only one of the drugs that make up a complex of therapy.

Contraindications to the intake of valerian

Do not underestimate the effect of valerian on the body - you need to exclude all possible contraindications and only then stabilize your nervous system with tablets / tincture of valerian. The official instructions indicate the following contraindications:

• fructose intolerance;
• available deficiency of lactase and sugar;
• glucose-galactose malabsorption;
• pregnancy - only applies to the first three months( first trimester) of this condition;
• children under 3 years old.

Do not forget the possibility of the presence of individual intolerance or hypersensitivity specifically to valerian - some people even react to the specific smell of the drug with classic manifestations of an allergic reaction( skin rash, itching, lacrimation, coughing and sneezing attacks).

Note: for children even at 4 years of age is not allowed to prescribe and give the drug under consideration.Valerian is used in the complex treatment of certain nervous / mental disorders and other pathologies, but solely on the prescription of a doctor.

Recommended dosage

How are people used to use valerian?Three or four tablets, 30-40 drops of tincture and all this 3-4 times a day - you will agree, everyone knows this dosage.But experts say that treating such a variable amount of the drug in question is fraught with an overdose.

Please note: has officially determined that the daily dose of valerian should not exceed 200 mg!Some manufacturers offer consumers to use valerian in capsules, one of which contains 200-350 mg of valerian - this is prohibitive!To get a good therapeutic effect, you do not need to increase the daily dosage, but correctly take the medicine - according to the scheme developed by the doctor. Given that one tablet of valerian extract usually contains 20 mg of the main active substance, you can confidently say that the critical number of tablets per day is 10. Generally, the dosage for one dose, the number of doses per day is set individually - independentlyExperiment is not worth it.

The general recommendations are as follows:

• if valerian is used to stabilize the condition and is drunk by the course, it is enough to take 2 tablets of 20 mg three times a day or 35 drops of tincture 3 times a day;
• in case of using valerian for emergency sedation( for example, before the exam or interview), it will be enough to take 5 tablets of 20 mg of valerian or 40 drops of tincture;
• if valerian is given to children aged 7 years and older, then it will be enough ½ tablets of 20 mg, and tincture is completely forbidden to admission;
• if the given drug is to be given to a child aged 4 to 7 years, then it will take ¼ tablets of 20 mg.

The duration of the use of valerian is also determined individually.Experts say that the optimal period for taking tablets or tinctures of valerian is 10 days, and the maximum period is 30 days.It may be necessary to prolong the course of taking the drug in question, but without the help of a specialist in this case can not do - only a doctor can determine the appropriateness of further intake of valerian.

Possible side effects of

Even if valerian is used according to the doctor's prescription and strictly according to the recommended scheme, the potential for side effects is very high. Note the following conditions:

• reduced performance;
• a constant desire to sleep;
• weakening of muscle tissue( "do not hold the spoon in your hand");
• inhibition( the reaction is weakening, the person starts to think more slowly about the decisions, the speech becomes somewhat stretched);
• stool disorder - with prolonged use of valerian constipation is possible.

If at least one of these syndromes occurs, then immediately stop taking valerian tablets / tinctures and seek medical advice.Do not forget that every person may have an allergy when taking valerian, even if there was no such phenomenon before.

Overdose of valerian

It turns out that an overdose of valerian is real!And even the symptoms of this condition are pronounced - it is simply impossible to make a mistake. The signs of an overdose with the drug under consideration are:

1. Problems in the work of the digestive system - there may be constipation or, conversely, unmotivated diarrhea, often patients complain of mild nausea.
2. The nervous system suffers - it can happen in two directions:
   • , the person becomes listless, apathetic, constantly wants to sleep, complaints about dizziness, and possibly depression of consciousness;
   • appears excessive excitement, the pupils of the person are dilated, the face is covered with red spots.
3. Blood pressure becomes unstable - note that if valerian is taken on a strict medical schedule, you can achieve a reduction in blood pressure, and an overdose leads to a significant increase.

Separately it is necessary to consider cases of an overdose of valerian in tincture - the signs will be slightly different. For example:

• delayed heart rate( bradycardia) appears;The
• patient will be tormented by persistent headaches that mimic a migraine attack;
• heartburn will periodically appear, and the feeling of nausea will become permanent;
• if there is a history of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, then their aggravation may occur.

Note: when using exactly the tincture of valerian overdose can happen already from the first reception.Therefore, before you start using the drug in question, you should definitely get advice from a doctor. What to do if there are signs of an overdose:

1. Stop taking valerian in any pharmacological form of release.
2. Induce vomiting - this can be done by drinking a large amount of water or by mechanically acting on a small tongue in the pharynx.
3. Call an ambulance - they professionally wash the stomach, introduce specific drugs to reduce the symptoms of poisoning.But pay attention - this help will be appropriate, if after the last reception of a medicine has passed no more than 2 hours.
4. If the condition does not improve, then you should always seek help from doctors - in some particularly difficult cases, you may need to be hospitalized.

Results of studies on the effectiveness of valerian

The action of the drug under consideration has been studied for a very long time - interesting experiments are being performed, the consequences for the long-term use of valerian are being studied.Relatively recently, another interesting experiment was conducted by Norwegian scientists.

The aim of the experiment was to find out how intensively valerian has a hypnotic effect.For this, the TV viewers were brought to the process. .. they simply responded to the announcement of the recruitment of volunteers.All people were divided into two groups - one was given valerian tablets with a dosage of 200 mg( in one tablet), and the other was an innocuous additive, a placebo.It was prescribed to drink 2 tablets in the evening before going to bed and keep a diary of monitoring the quality of a night's sleep.About what tablets were given out, and what is the purpose of the experiment in general, the volunteers were not told.

Results shocked!Only 5% improved sleep in people from the group taking valerian pills.And this indicator showed only the speed of falling asleep, but the general qualitative characteristics between the two groups of volunteers did not differ at all - and the number of night awakenings, and the duration of sleep, and the state of health during the following working day were the same.

Thus, it can be concluded that valerian does not have a pronounced effect on the quality of night sleep and it should not be taken as a hypnotic.BUT!This experiment was conducted not by official medicine, there are no scientific confirmations on the results.Maybe you should try to take a placebo instead of valerian - the main thing is to believe in the strength of the medicine, but if the medicine is prescribed by a doctor and is part of a complex therapy, then you should not experiment.

Valerian is not such an inoffensive medicine, so before using it is advisable to get a consultation about a specialist.This is not required if a person takes valerian from case to case, not systemically, but to exclude hypersensitivity and possible contraindications are still needed.

Yana Tsygankova, medical reviewer, therapeutist of the highest qualification category.