Valerian root has been helping humans feel better for over 2000 years. Dioscorides, the Greek physician and pharmacologist (AD 40-80), wrote of the benefits of several species of Valerian, and Galen, a prominent Greek physician and surgeon (AD 131-208), reported on its sedative effects. The name Valerian is thought to be derived either from Valerius, who first utilized its medicinal properties, or from the Latin term valere, meaning health or well-being.
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