title: Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: Insomnia affects approximately one-third of the adult population and contributes to increased rates of absenteeism, health care use, and social disability. Extracts of the roots of valerian (Valeriana officinalis) are widely used for inducing sleep and improving sleep quality. A systematic review of randomized, placebo-controlled trials of valerian for improving sleep quality is presented. An extensive literature search identified 16 eligible studies examining a total of 1093 patients. Most studies had significant methodologic problems, and the valerian doses, preparations, and length of treatment varied considerably. A dichotomous outcome of sleep quality (improved or not) was reported by 6 studies and showed a statistically significant benefit (relative risk of improved sleep = 1.8, 95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.9), but there was evidence of publication bias in this summary measure. The available evidence suggests that valerian might improve sleep quality without producing side effects. Future studies should assess a range of doses of standardized preparations of valerian and include standard measures of sleep quality and safety.
authors.affiliation: Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA. stephen.bent@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bent
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Padula
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mehling
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014632:Valerian
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts