Summary
Throughout the history of western medicine, valerian (Valeriana officinalis
L.) has been one of the best-known herbal remedies of all time. Since the
1600's it has been known as one of the greatest sedative and restorative
remedies for the nervous in herbal medicine and allopathic medicine today
throughout Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand for the same
purpose.
Hysteria Cures in 18th, 19th and 20th Century Medicine
From the 18th century up to the present, nervous disorders that were poorly
understood and more or less lumped under the heading hysteria or hypochondriasis
gradually became more differentiated into separate disease entities. These
types of disorders, usually considered a result of an overly-excitable nervous
system were treated by a group of drugs--either of vegetable or mineral
origin, known as "antispasmodics" or "anti-hysterics."
In 1928, McGuigan wrote that antispasmodics or antihysterics were one and
the same, saying about this class of drugs:
"Antispasmodics are remedies that control or modify minor grades
of motor excitation. As a class, antispasmodics are useful chiefly in hysteria
and allied conditions."
He continues that this class of nervous disorders is nebulous and exhibits
many diverse symptoms, but it can be summarized by saying that "Hysteria
represents failure to utilize energy in socially successful ways."
Today, the term "hysteria" is much more defined and is considered
one class of neurotic disorder--giving recognition to its true psychogenic
origin. The Merck Manual (24th ed.) says that because hysteria as
a disease is more than 2,000 years old, "its limits as a disorder
have become blurred by a variety of definitions." Thus today, it
is difficult to say exactly what psychological conditions were treated with
the help of valerian, asafoetida and other "antispasmodics" and
anti-hysterics--except that they probably fall into the general modern categories
of hysterical neurosis, somatization disorder and hypochondriacal neurosis.[1]
Diazepam, or Valium was introduced in 1964. It subsequently became one of the most prescribed drugs of all time for mitigation of anxiety, tension, relaxation of muscle spasm, as a general sedative, for nausea and vomiting of psychogenic origin and for lessening of the symptoms of the acute agitation that may come during withdrawal from alcohol.[2] While Valium is rather new, anxiety, tension and the other nervous disorders for which valium has been commonly prescribed are certainly not. What was used in the days before it was available--say 200 years ago, in 1790?
First of all, is it possible to draw parallels between the two eras and the remedies used to treat the common nervous disorder known in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries as hysteria? If one reviews the medical literature during this 200 year time period, many parallels can be seen between the common use of valium today and that of valerian and other official drugs of the 18th century (and 19th and early 20th century) said to have similar actions. Interestingly, it is a common misconception that valium is somehow chemically derived from valerian. Then, as today, it is possible that common factors such as stress and inactivity were strong contributing factors in hysteria.[4] [5] During the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, hysteria was commonly thought to occur especially in people who were of a generally weak hereditary constitution. Contributing factors were mental overwork, an overly active imagination that is not restrained, fear, constant worry, too much stimulus, too luxurious a style of living, too "relaxed" a system, too much sleep, lying abed too late in the morning, excessive use of stimulants such as coffee, tea, the use of tobacco, etc.[7] One might imagine that many of these same conditions are still likely causes of many forms of "nervous complaints today.