Valerian (herb) some affinity for the GABA receptor, a class of receptors on which benzodiazepines are known to act. Valeric acid, which is responsible for the typical odor of mostly older valerian roots, does not have any sedative properties. Valeric acid is related to valproic acid, a widely prescribed anticonvulsant; valproic acid is a derivative of valeric acid. Valerian also contains isovaltrate, which has been shown to be an inverse agonist for adenosine A receptor sites. This action likely does not contribute to the herb's possible sedative effects, which would be expected from an agonist, rather than an inverse agonist, at this
Valerian Osinsky Valerian Osinsky Valerian Obolensky-Ossinsky (1887 – 1 September 1938) was a Russian revolutionary Marxist and Professor of the Agricultural Academy of Moscow. Valerian wrote under the name Nikolai Osinsky, and was active amongst the Left Communists around the "Kommunist" journal in 1918 and later among the Democratic Centralists. He was the first chairperson of the Supreme Soviet of the National Economy but lost that position in spring 1918 due to his opposition to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. He attended the World Social Economic Conference organised by the International Institute of Industrial Relations held at the Vereeniging Koloniaal Institute in Amsterdam.