ConsumerLab.com Grades Valerian Supplements

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--ConsumerLab.com purchased 17 valerian products through the open market in October and November of last year, and only nine products--just over half (53 percent)--passed the company's testing. The selected products included seven valerian extracts, six valerian powders and four combinations.

Of the six products made exclusively from powder, only one made the grade, and of the seven extract products, only four passed. However, all four of the combination powder/extract products passed. Four of the products that did not pass testing failed because they only contained half of the amount of valerian claimed on the label. The remaining four of the failed products did not contain the expected levels of valerenic acids, which are considered by ConsumerLab.com to be popular marker compounds for testing valerian levels.

According to ConsumerLab.com, some of the products that were missing the marker compounds may have failed because the wrong species of valerian was used. The testing company stated that valerian supplements should be derived from the root of Valeriana officinalis, the safest and most effective species of valerian.

ConsumerLab.com first analyzed all products for valerenic acid content using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay in an independent laboratory. This method, developed by the Institute for Nutraceutical Advancement's (INA) Method Validation Program (MVP), specifically tested each product for the presence and amount of acetoxyvalerenic acid, hydroxyvalerenic acid, valerenic acid and valernal. Products that failed the initial assay were tested in a second independent laboratory using a similar HPLC assay.

The nine products that passed ConsumerLab.com's tests provided proper labeling as required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which includes listing the proper name of the plant, part of the plant used, form of valerian used and amount of valerian per pill. In addition, the products met label claims for total valerenic acid content.

A list of those products that passed is available on the company's Web site (www.consumerlab.com).