The effects of valerian on the time course of emergence from general anesthesia in Sprague-Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Herbal use may be associated with increased morbidity and mortality as a consequence of interactions with anesthetic agents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on emergence from isoflurane anesthesia using a combination of the herb valerian and midazolam compared with valerian alone, midazolam alone, and no additional drug-herb treatment in Sprague-Dawley rats. We assigned 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats to 1 of 4 groups: (1) isoflurane alone, (2) isoflurane plus valerian, (3) isoflurane plus midazolam, and (4) isoflurane plus a combination of valerian and midazolam. Thirty minutes after treatment, animals underwent a standard laparotomy. The time in seconds from discontinuation of isoflurane to the time the animal righted itself and took I step was recorded as emergence time. A 1-way analysis of variance with a post hoc Scheffe procedure revealed that animals given a combination of midazolam and valerian took significantly longer to emerge from anesthesia (F = 58.21; P < .00) compared with all other groups. Awareness of possible interactions of herbals with conventional anesthetics is important so that potential problems may be recognized and treated. These data demonstrate the need for continued research concerning the effects of herbals and their potential for interaction with anesthetics.