The biological activity of Valerian and related plants.

A comprehensive review of the constituents of the Valerianaceae is presented with particular reference to the sedative activity of extracts from various constituent species. The sedative activity can be ascribed to the valepotriates present and to a lesser extent to the sesquiterpene constituents of the volatile oils. Recent research into the toxicology of the valepotriates is also considered.

Further investigations of valepotriates in the Valerianaceae.

Four species of Valeriana from Costa Rica and Peru were analysed for valepotriates: V. pulchella, V. priophylla, V. condamoana and V. micropterina. The highest amount of total valepotriates was found in the rhizomes of V. prionophylla.

Valepotriate content in different in vitro cultures of Valerianaceae and characterization of Valeriana officinalis L. callus during a growth period.

Different in vitro cultures of Valerianaceae were analysed for valepotriate content [(iso)valtrate, acevaltrate, didrovaltrate] in a study on properties of production in vitro (plant species, growth conditions, differentiation level, valepotriate content of the medium after growth). The in vitro cultures were: callus cultures of Valeriana officinalis L., Valerianella locusta L. and Centranthus ruber L.DC.; a suspension culture of Valeriana officinalis L. and a root organ culture of Centranthus ruber L.DC. All of the cultures produced valepotriates in vitro in different amounts. None of the media that had served for growth contained any valepotriates. In order to characterize the in vitro growth more precisely different parameters were analysed at different time intervals during a growth period in one of the cultures (callus culture of Valeriana officinalis L.). These different parameters were: fresh and dry weight, lipid and nitrogen content and (iso)valtrate content. This study during a growth period was performed on two media differing in plant hormone content.

Separation of valtrate and isovaltrate by means of preparative liquid chromatography.

In this study valtrate and isovaltrate, two isomeric valepotriates present in various Valeriana species, were separated on a preparative scale with a Waters preparative Liquid Chromatography/500 A system. A rapid separation was achieved with the solvent methylene chloride-n-propanol-acetone (99 + 0.5 + 0.5). Extensive use of the recycle mode of the instrument resulted in a considerable reduction of the amount of solvent used, without affecting the purity and the recovery (greater than 90%) of the separated components. With the method presented in this communication 1 gram of a mixture of valtrate and isovaltrate was separated in 20 minutes using 2.1 liters of solvent.

[Chemical weed control in the cropping of medicinal plants. Part 1: Valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.) (author's transl)]. / Chemische Unkrautbekämpfung in Arzneipflanzenkulturen. 1. Mitteilung: Baldrian (Valeriana officinalis L.).

More than 40 herbicides have been tested in field trials with valerian over a period of several years. The following herbicidies have proved best suited: chloropham for application in autumn after planting, metobromurone for spraying in the early spring at the commencement of sprouting, nitrofen or a nitrofen-simazine compound preparation for application in May. The utilization of a sequence of herbicides led to a 90% reduction of the weed cover and a 65% reduction of the manual work needed for weed control. The yield and the essential oil and valepotriate contents of valerian were not impaired. The results from residue analyses are presented.

Plants and hypotensive, antiatheromatous and coronarodilatating action.

However great the success in the therapy of hypertension, atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease has been gained today by recent efficient drugs, the definite healing of patients is not yet attained. The late discovery of reserpine, such an efficient drug of plant origin against hypertension, convinced so far reluctant scientists to consider the chemical compounds of the plant world. With respect to this traditional medical knowledge, it seems necessary to define more accurately the specificity of these healings-sometimes recommended unspecifically for a whole branch of medicine. This experimental verification should not use inconsiderately the present-day classification of diseases; there should be an awareness that conventional experimental methods in pharmacology are often unsuitable for revealing the real biological activity of one or another medicinal plant. The interest in the millennial empirical field of health care is acknowledged by the World Health Organization which promotes research and development of traditional medicine, along with investigations into its psychosocial and ethnographic aspects. These studies cover a number of plants growing in Bulgaria that have a healing effect in hypertension, atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease according to the data of traditional medicine. Using screening methods, extracts and chemically pure substances were investigated; extraction was done with solvents such as water, ether, chloroform, dichloretan, ethanol, methanol, and acetone. Most of the experiments were carried out on anesthetized cats, rabbits and dogs. The substances tested were applied mainly intravenously, and in some experiments orally. Chronic experiments were also carried out on wakeful dogs with induced hypertension, on animals fed on an atherogenic diet, and on animals with induced arrhythmia and coronary spasm. Data are presented of clinical examination of some plants or of active substances isolated from them. Major results of these studies are presented for the following plants: Garlic, Geranium; Hellebore; Mistletoe; Olive; Valerian; Hawthorn; Pseucedanum arenarium; Periwinkle; Fumitory. For another 50 plants growing in Bulgaria and in other countries the author presents his and other investigators' experimental and clinical data about hypotensive, antiatheromatous and coronarodilatating action.

[High-performance liquid chromatographic separation and quantitative determination of valepotriates in valeriana drugs and preparations (author's transl)]. / Hochleistungsflüssigchromatographische Trennung und quantitative Bestimmung von Valepotriaten aus Valeriana-Drogen und Zubereitungen.

It is possible directly to separate and analyse, quantitatively and qualitatively, the valepotriates from Valeriana crude extracts or from commercial Valeriana preparations by high-performance liquid chromatography. The separations are achieved on 4 or 8 mm I.D. columns packed with silica gel (particle size 10 micron) with n-hexane-ethyl acetate mixtures as eluent. A refractive index detection system is necessary for determining all of the valepotriates. If the concentration differences between didrovaltratum and valtratum are very great, an ultraviolet (UV) detector must be used and the determination must be conducted in two steps. For valtratum drugs UV detection alone will suffice. As internal standards p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde should be used for extracts and preparations from valtratum races, and benzaldehyde in the presence of didrovaltratum races. This determination is superior to the combined thin-layer chromatographic-hydroxamic acid method used hitherto with respect to time consumption, precision, and sensitivity.