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Herbs & Supplements
Lurk-In-The-Ditch
Scientific Name: American pennyroyal
Other Names: European Pennyroyal, Hedeoma pulegioides, Mock Pennyroyal, Mosquito Plant, Penny Royal, Pudding Grass, Pulegium, Run-By-The-Ground, Squaw Balm, Squaw Mint, Stinking Balm, Thickweed, Tickweed
Who is this for?
Supplements are defined by the FDA as any products intended for ingestion as a supplement to the diet. If a product is sold as a supplement, it must state on its label "dietary supplement."
Unlike drugs, the statements on the manufacturer's label describing the role of dietary supplements need not be authorized by the FDA.4 To inform the consumer of this fact, the following statement is required by law to appear on the supplement label: "This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."
Uses
American pennyroyal supplements are derived from the leaves and flowering tops of the plant known as: Hedeoma pulegeoides.5 The leaves and flowering tops are the source of pennyroyal oil which is mostly responsible for the medicinal properties of this herb.2 American pennyroyal grows in the eastern and northern United States and Canada. 5 Mentha pulegium is also referred to as American pennyroyal.
American pennyroyal is promoted for digestive disorders; pneumonia; inducing menstruation or abortions; and externally as an antiseptic, insect repellent, and for skin diseases. American pennyroyal is often promoted for use as an abortifacient (used to abort a fetus). It is true that a component of American pennyroyal oil may irritate the uterus causing uterine contraction, but this effect is unpredictable and so dangerous that it has been deadly.1,12,13
In animals, it is promoted for external use as a flea dip.
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Note: The above information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not meant to indicate that the use of the product is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.
In general, herbal products are not subject to review or approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are not required to be standardized, meaning that the amounts of active ingredients or contaminants they contain may vary between brands or between different batches of the same brand. Not all of the risks, side effects, or interactions associated with the use of herbal products are known because few reliable studies of their use in humans have been done.
This information is provided for your education only. Please share this information with your healthcare provider and be sure that you talk to your doctor and pharmacist about all the prescription and non-prescription medicines you take before you begin to use any herbal product.
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Who is this for? 
