Valerian 10% with GABA: a 10 ml alkaloid extract
Alkaloid extracts are sold as TPA extracts, short for Total Purified Alkaloids. Extraction isolates the alkaloids from the herb, and those are then dissolved in ethanol and water. Nothing else goes in: no sugar, no flavouring, no plant residue. The figure on the label, 10% in this case, tells you the share of alkaloids in the liquid, and this bottle names GABA next to the herb.
The plant behind it is Valeriana officinalis, known in English simply as valerian. It is a perennial that reaches one to two metres in flower, with pinnate leaves in opposite pairs and heads of small pale pink to white blooms. Europe and Asia are its native range, usually on damp, lime-rich ground. What matters to the trade sits below the surface: the rootstock with its thin roots, lifted in autumn. As the root dries, compounds in it break down and release isovaleric acid among others, and that accounts for the sharp, slightly sour smell valerian is known for, the one cats tend to find. GABA stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid, a substance the body produces itself and one that is also sold on its own as a supplement.
Composition
- Valerian root alkaloids (10%)
- GABA
- Alcohol
- Water
The bottle
You receive a white 10 ml bottle with a wood-look cap holding a pipette, so the liquid can be measured drop by drop. The label reads VALERIAAN 10% + GABA with the botanical name Valeriana officinalis and the line 10 ML, 200+ DROPS. Store it upright, cool and dark, and out of reach of children. There is alcohol in the base, so close the cap firmly after use.
Good to know
This extract is intended for adults of 18 and over and not for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you take medication, or hesitate for any other reason, speak to your doctor first. Avalon Magic Plants makes no claims about medicinal effects: this is not a medicine and replaces no treatment.
Avalon Magic Plants also carries valerian in other forms, among them dried root in 50 gram bags and seed to grow your own. From the same TPA range you will find St John's wort 20%, wild lettuce, white water lily and wild dagga. Every order leaves discreetly packed.
