Drug & supplement interaction

Valerian + Ethanol

Ethanol brand name: Ethanol.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Valerian has a moderate interaction with Ethanol. Valerian can have additive sedative effects when used concomitantly with alcohol.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Valerian and Ethanol

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ALCOHOL (Ethanol)

Valerian can have additive sedative effects when used concomitantly with alcohol.
Valerian has sedative effects. Theoretically, valerian might have an additive sedative effect when combined with alcohol. Excessive sedation has been reported in an alcohol-abusing individual who took valerian and Gingko biloba. However, the potential interaction between valerian and alcohol has been disputed in other research. Limited evidence suggests that a combination of valerian 160 mg and lemon balm 80 mg (Euvegal) does not cause further deterioration in reaction ability and reaction rate when taken with alcohol as compared to the effects of alcohol alone.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: both valerian and alcohol can make you drowsy and slow you down. Valerian is thought to nudge up GABA activity in the brain (the same calming system alcohol acts on), so putting the two together may stack their relaxing effects. In plain terms, you could feel sleepier, more lightheaded, or less sharp than you'd expect from a drink alone. That matters most for things like driving or anything where you need to stay alert.

Honestly, the evidence here is mixed. One report described heavy sedation, but a small study found no extra slowing of reaction time. To be safe, go easy and see how your body responds, and check with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing them, especially if you take other sedating medicines.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Hadley S, Petry JJ. Valerian. Am Fam Physician 2003;67:1755-8..
  2. Chen D, Klesmer J, Giovanniello A, et al. Mental status changes in an alcohol abuser taking valerian and gingko biloba. Am J Addict. 2002 Winter;11:75-7. PubMed
  3. Albrecht M, Berger W, Laux P, Schmidt U, et al. Psychopharmaka und Verkehrssicherheit. Der Einfluß von Euvegal® - Dragees forte auf die Fahrtüchtigkeit und Kombinationswirkungen mit Alkohol Z Allg Med 1995;71:1215-25.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Valerian Also Interacts With Other Medications

Valerian has 337 moderate, 564 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Ethanol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 337 Minor 564 No known interaction 1,929 (incl. Ethanol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Valerian

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Valerian. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Valerian or Ethanol

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Valerian or Ethanol, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ethanol

This page covers Valerian only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ethanol page lists 65 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Coca (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Tansy (major).

By severity: 5 major · 38 moderate · 22 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ethanol page

“Ethanol used as a medication is still alcohol, and its supplement list calls for real vigilance, starting with the five entries rated major. GHB is the starkest of these, since combining it with alcohol can cause serious sedation, suppressed breathing, and low blood pressure, a risk confirmed in human studies.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ethanol interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Valerian as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 2,185 real supplement products containing Valerian, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Valerian. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ethanol too, on top of Valerian — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Valerian and Ethanol Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Valerian
Top 10%

#88 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ethanol
Top 5%

#129 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Valerian

What is Valerian?

Valerian
  • Insomnia and poor sleep
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Restlessness
  • Muscle tension or cramps
  • Menstrual discomfort

Valerian is an herb whose root is widely used as a natural sleep aid and for calming nerves. The evidence is mixed and often weak, so it may help some people sleep but does not work reliably for everyone. It is generally well tolerated for short-term use, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Read the full Valerian monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Valerian

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Valerian — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
337Moderate
564Minor
1,928No known interaction
337 Moderate 564 Minor 1,928 No interaction
Moderate

337 interactions

Showing 60 of 337 moderate interactions — see all 337 on the Valerian page.

Minor

564 interactions

Showing 60 of 564 minor interactions — see all 564 on the Valerian page.

No interaction 1,928 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Valerian against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,928 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Valerian list.

See the full Valerian interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ethanol, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Valerian monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Ethanol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ethanol, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Valerian and Ethanol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Valerian with Ethanol?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Valerian and Ethanol interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Ethanol and Valerian?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.