Josif Pancic Valerian root tea
 
Latin name and family: Valeriana officinalis L. (Valerianaceae)
Description: The rhizome is short, cylindrical, with a sharp, unpleasant smell. The stem is ribbed and upright, and the leaves are oddly pinnately compound. Leaflets are lanceolate, pointed with a toothed rim. The inflorescence is shield-shaped with small flowers of a funnel-shaped crown, whitish-pink in color. It is widely distributed in the temperate zone of Eurasia, growing on wet meadows, forest edges and river islands, and is also cultivated.
The medicinal part of the plant is used: Dried root (Valerianae radix)
Chemical composition: Valerian root contains iridoid monoterpenes - valepotriate up to 2%, essential oil up to 1%, alkaloids, sesquiterpene ketones and acids, tannins and starch.