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 A. Frolov Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov (1st class), Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky (1st Class), Order of the Red Star and numerous medals, including the Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945", the Medal "For the Defence of the Soviet Transarctic" and the Jubilee Medal "XX Years of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army". A street was named in his honour in the Kukkovka district of the Karelian capital Petrozavodsk. Valerian A. Frolov Valerian Aleksandrovich Frolov (; June 7 (O.S. May 26), 1895 – 1961) was a Soviet Colonel General (1943). Frolov participated in the First World