Thirty-one commercial valerian preparations available in Australia, including teas, tablets, capsules and liquids, were analysed by HPLC for valepotriates, valerenic acid and valerenic acid derivatives. The concentration of valerenic acid and its derivatives ranged from < 0.01 to 6.32 mg/g of product. Powder capsules, on average, contained the highest concentration of valerenic acids (2.46 mg/g) and liquids the lowest concentration (0.47 mg/ml). The mean concentration of valerenic acid in the five products standardized against valerenic acid (3.56 mg/g) was significantly higher than in the 26 non-standardized products (0.89 mg/g). There was a significant relationship between valerenic acids content and added valerian root for the standardized products but not for the non-standardised products. Valepotriates were found at low levels (< 1.0 mg/g) in some teas but were not detected in any of the finished products.