The members of Valerianaceae have a long history of use as a sedative in Europe and Asia. Nardostachys chinensis Batalin and N. jatamansii DC have been used for centuries in China and India to cure various psychiatric disorders such as epilepsy and overexcitement (Rucker 1979; Houghton 1988). Besides these two species, some Valeriana species are extensively used nowadays as sedatives, e.g., V wallichii DC in India, V officinalis L. var angustifolia in Japan, and V officinalis L. s.l. in Europe (Rucker 1979). This latter species was already known to the Greeks and Romans as diuretic, analgesic, and spasmolytic drug. Since the 18th century Western medicine has used V officinalis for its sedative properties. The roots of this plant are included in the second edition of the European Pharmacopoeia ( 1985).