ABSTRACT
Valerian, Valeriana officinalis, is a clump-forming perennial with fleshy branching stems arising from rhizomes. It is claimed to be without side effects, but in liver clinics around the country it is commonly seen as a cause of a marked hepatitis which recovers on stopping the drug. Valerian contains small amounts of the unpleasant-smelling valeric acid that is used to generate volatile esters widely used to manufacture perfumes as they differ from their parent in having pleasant odours. Its value as an anticonvulsant was discovered by Eymard in 1962 during his search for anticonvulsant drugs when he used valproic acid as the solvent for such compounds. Of concern are a small number of patients who develop very severe liver dysfunction that may lead to liver failure and death. However, the well-documented severe effects of valproate on the liver are also seen with herbal valerian.
