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Valerian root (Valerina officianalis)

Pertinax
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bringer of sleep and calmer of pain-found in the excavated gardens and stores at Pompeii. A strong nervine still in commercial use today. This root is synthesised to produce Vallium.Readily available in its true state as a herbal medicine in Britain.

Quite a bundle of chemical components-the sedative properties appear to be due to the valepotriates (and some of their degradation products).Iridoids and alkoloids are also present.There is an interesting cytotoxic and antitumor activity associated with the valepotriates (as it inhibits synthesis of DNA and proteins).

NB: I use it also (with a very high dose of Vitamin B full complex) to reduce the intense nerve pain of shingles (herpes zoster).Pliny says to be used for "pains in the chest or side" so I merely follow his directions!Dioscorides concurs.

heres a quote on the origin of the name -phu! as in yuck :blink: ..."The derivation of the name of this genus of plants is differently given. It is said by some authors to have been named after Valerius, who first used it in medicine; while others derive the name from the Latin word valere (to be in health), on account of its medicinal qualities. The word Valeriana is not found in the classical authors; we first meet with it in the ninth or tenth century, at which period and for long afterwards it was used as synonymous with Phu or Fu; Fu, id est valeriana, we find it described in ancient medical works of that period. The word Valerian occurs in the recipes of the AngloSaxon leeches (eleventh century). Valeriana, Amantilla and Fu are used as synonymous in the Alphita, a mediaeval vocabulary of the important medical school of Salernum. Saladinus of Ascoli (about 1450) directs the collection in the month of August of radices fu, id est Valerianae. Referring to the name Amantilla, by which it was known in the fourteenth century, Professor Henslow quotes a curious recipe of that period, a translation of which runs as follows: 'Men who begin to fight and when you wish to stop them, give to them the juice of Amantilla id est Valeriana and peace will be made immediately.' Theriacaria, Marinella, Genicularis and Terdina are other old names by which Valerian has been known in former days. Another old name met with in Chaucer and other old writers is 'Setwall' or 'Setewale,' the derivation of which is uncertain. Mediaeval herbalists also called the plant 'Capon's Tail,' which has rather fantastically been explained as a reference to its spreading head of whitish flower"

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Ah! I was actually going to ask you about what the ancients had to say about Valerian!

 

My own experience with it (as a sleep aid of course), is that it doesn't make me drowsy or sleepy like some may feel is implied by it's suggested use. What it does for me at least is that once I am asleep, I have vivid and prolific dreams...

 

Of course since REM sleep is when the body does the most repair work, I feel exceedingly refreshed in the morning.

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Ah! I was actually going to ask you about what the ancients had to say about Valerian!

 

My own experience with it (as a sleep aid of course), is that it doesn't make me drowsy or sleepy like some may feel is implied by it's suggested use. What it does for me at least is that once I am asleep, I have vivid and prolific dreams...

 

Of course since REM sleep is when the body does the most repair work, I feel exceedingly refreshed in the morning.

 

You are completeley correct, the herb does not of itself make a person drowsy but induces a deep "hypnotic" sleep, so as the mind is free to dream Jung would suggest to us that significant healing dreams would occur or perhaps especially insightful dreams.Its historical use is for insomnia and excitability. It does not cause somnolence after deep sleep. Its little known use is for digestion and tumourous growths in the stomach.

The herb is often mixed with other nervines (passiflora, scutellaria, wood betony to relieve physical nerve pain.

It is a mainstay of the natural treatment of shingles/ herpes zoster along with a high dose of b vitamins.

Galen used the herb for epilepsy , amongst the ancients it was used to ease menstrual cramping and to aid other diuretic herbs, so its nervine qualities are both relevant to the mind and the body.

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I wonder if this may have been a sacred plant of Hermes...

 

"Odysseus stepped quickly over the threshold into the palace. He found the Phaiakian lords and rulers pouring libations from their cups to the Euskopos Argeiphontes [Hermes] to whom by custom they poured libation last when they turned their thoughts to the nights rest..." -Odyssey 7.137

 

"She [Maia] bare a son [Hermes] ... a bringer of dreams, a watcher by night" -Homeric Hymn 4 to Hermes

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I wonder if this may have been a sacred plant of Hermes...

 

"Odysseus stepped quickly over the threshold into the palace. He found the Phaiakian lords and rulers pouring libations from their cups to the Euskopos Argeiphontes [Hermes] to whom by custom they poured libation last when they turned their thoughts to the nights rest..." -Odyssey 7.137

 

"She [Maia] bare a son [Hermes] ... a bringer of dreams, a watcher by night" -Homeric Hymn 4 to Hermes

 

I dont think I have the reference work I need to check this to hand-so my reply will be defered.

Just as an aside the herb was apparently called "phu" by Hippocrates because of its unedifying smell. :blink:

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Yea, I heard that the stuff stinks, though I've never been in close contact with it I wouldn't know. It was on a Jeff Foxworthy sketch though :P

 

Induces dreams...wow...lol that would not be cool for me...my dreams are almost always nightmares or at least really strange ::laughs thinking of the last dream she remembers::

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Yea, I heard that the stuff stinks, though I've never been in close contact with it I wouldn't know. It was on a Jeff Foxworthy sketch though :P

 

Induces dreams...wow...lol that would not be cool for me...my dreams are almost always nightmares or at least really strange ::laughs thinking of the last dream she remembers::

 

My girlfriend just complained that my vitamin-herb cabinet stinks.... :P The smell doesn't bother me but it is rather strong...

 

In regards to your dreams L-W, what message from the Gods do you think Hermes is trying to relay? ;)

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Yea, I heard that the stuff stinks, though I've never been in close contact with it I wouldn't know. It was on a Jeff Foxworthy sketch though :P

 

Induces dreams...wow...lol that would not be cool for me...my dreams are almost always nightmares or at least really strange ::laughs thinking of the last dream she remembers::

 

My girlfriend just complained that my vitamin-herb cabinet stinks.... :P The smell doesn't bother me but it is rather strong...

 

In regards to your dreams L-W, what message from the Gods do you think Hermes is trying to relay? ;)

 

If youve got vitamin B complex, valerian and schissandra in there then she's probably right. Dried hops arent too good either but I suspect you take them in a different form.

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In regards to your dreams L-W, what message from the Gods do you think Hermes is trying to relay? wink.gif

 

I think he's saying "you are one crazy b* you know that?" XD I am too. Crazier'n Caligula. Hey, that would make an awesome t-shirt

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I just wish to say that this is perhaps , easily , the ugliest photo I have posted ( by a mile) and I cant believe how many people have viewed it!

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