Valerian

Safety information

Toxicity: Generally mild - headache, GI upset, mental dullness, excitability, vivid dreams. Rare liver injury (often combination products; LiverTox notes rare mild hepatotoxicity). Possible withdrawal if stopped abruptly after chronic use. | Mild. Grieve warns that large/too-frequent doses cause headache, heaviness and stupor. Low toxicity at normal doses. | Mild — can cause drowsiness. | A paradoxical stimulating reaction occurs in a few people. | Low; can cause drowsiness, occasionally paradoxical excitation/headache. | Mild. Headache and morning grogginess; less often diarrhea/GI upset. Rare idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity reports usually multi-herb; NIH LiverTox classes as 'unlikely' cause of liver injury.

Contraindications: EMA: not for children <12, or in pregnancy/breastfeeding (insufficient data). May impair driving/operating machinery. | None specified by source. Modern: may add to sedative effects; avoid before driving/operating machinery. | Do not combine with sleep-inducing drugs; may cause daytime drowsiness. | None specifically named (Commission E/ESCOP report no drug interactions). | Before driving/operating machinery; theoretical caution in pregnancy at medicinal doses. | Use discouraged in pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data; potential fetal-toxicity/maternal-hepatotoxicity concern flagged by Drugs.com). EMA: adults/adolescents >12; not recommended <12. Caution before driving for ~2 h.

Interactions: EMA: no interactions described in literature at assessment. Caution combining with alcohol or sedatives/CNS depressants (additive sedation). | None specified by source. Modern: may potentiate other sedatives/CNS depressants and alcohol. | Additive with sedatives/hypnotics. | May potentiate the effects of sedatives; otherwise no interactions reported by Commission E or ESCOP. | Additive sedation with alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids, antihistamines and other CNS depressants. (Safety gate.) | Additive CNS depression — caution with alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids, kava, antihistamines, other sedatives/anaesthetics. No clinically significant CYP interaction established.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Not recommended in pregnancy/breastfeeding (insufficient data). | Theoretical caution at medicinal doses. | Use discouraged in pregnancy and lactation (insufficient safety data; potential fetal-toxicity/maternal-hepatotoxicity concern).