Posted by IsoM on December 11, 2001, at 15:08:51
In reply to Valerian Root safe to take with meds?, posted by adamie on December 11, 2001, at 11:42:44
Adamie, I honestly can't say whether it'll be safe or not. If you ask your pharmacist, he should be able to check it out for you. All pharmacies should have a handbook that lists interactions between drugs & herbs - I just don't remember the name right now.
Be aware that Valerian root doesn't help everyone sleep. I found this when I tried it & it gave me the worse jitters. By doing some checking & reading about, I found that between 10-15% of the population gets the jitters from it or else no response whatsoever. Those that respond well to it, love it. Here's some info I found on valerian, if it's any help to you:
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"Concerning its effects, there is consensus that Valerian root preparations have anxiolytic, sedative, spasmolytic, vasodilatory, and antiarrhythmic effects, as well as antidepressant properties [9] but there is no agreement on what the dosage should be and what constitutes a safe duration of treatment. Despite its potential beneficial effects, reported valerian-root-related toxicities are concerning. MacGregor et al. [10] reported four cases of hepatotoxicity with rapid onset after ingestion of herbal preparations containing both valerian root and skullcap and overdose with valerian root has also been reported. In uncomplicated, single overdosages the effects are relatively benign: Ingestion of 12-20 g of valerian root resulted in headache, "excitability," "uneasiness," and cardiac disturbances but no signs of acute hepatitis. [9] There is currently insufficient information to recommend valerian use in pregnancy and during lactation, [11] although teratogenicity has not been reported.There is limited information on interactions between valerian and other drugs. As its sedative effects may potentiate the effects of other CNS depressants, including alcohol, concurrent use must be avoided and the usual precautions taken with other sedating agents also apply to valerian. However recently Kuhlmann and colleagues have shown - in normal volunteers - that neither single nor repeated evening administrations of 600 mg of valerian root extract adversely affects reaction time, alertness and concentration the morning after intake. [12]
Drugs such as the SSRI antidepressants may, through hepatic cytochrome inhibition, increase the bioavailability of valerian constituents and as valerian has some MAO-like activity interactions with serotonergic agents may be particularly problematic. [9] As Yager and colleagues note in describing a case of delirium associated with valerian use: The take-home message of this case is that valerian root is a pharmacologically complex and potentially potent GABA agonist that has several other pharmacological properties. Under certain circumstances, it may interact in significant and potentially deleterious ways with conventional psychopharmacological agents.
Of course its GABA agonist activity would suggest that a benzodiazepine-like withdrawal reaction - including rebound insomnia, which may perpetuate drug use after self-induced attempts at withdrawal - could occur. This happened - with serious consequences - in one case of protracted, high dose valerian self-medication. [13]"
*************************************************I still rely on Gravol (travel sickness tablets) to sleep when I have difficulty. Taking 2 tabs about an hour before bedtime, starts to make me sleepy. Again, there's a few people who get jitters on that too, but very few. I tried kava kava & catnip too but had little response to them. Just because I don't respond though doesn't mean others won't. At least I had no interactions when I took either.
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> I am currently taking zoloft 50mg, risperdal 0.5mg, and ativan 0.5mg 3 times daily or so. I dont want to use up the precious ativan at bedtime because i rather save them all for the day when i need them most.
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> in the pharmacy i seen Nytol Natural version. It had Valerian Root 1:4. The regular nytol didn't work for me at all when i tried it a year ago, instead it kept me up all night.
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> Would it be safe to take this while being on these other meds? I dont see my pdoc until friday.
poster:IsoM
thread:86564
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011202/msgs/86579.html