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Herbs & Supplements
Pennyroyal
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Uses
Note: Pennyroyal oil should never be taken by mouth. It contains a component known as pulegone, which may be highly toxic to the liver. Pulegone may also cause pregnant women to miscarry.
Pennyroyal tea and other oral dosage forms may contain very little pulegone, but they are still not recommended for use.
The dried leaves and stems of American pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides) and the related species European pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) have both been used to relieve stomach conditions such as cramps and gas. They contain tannins and a small percentage of volatile oils, which are the rapidly evaporating chemicals that give plants their characteristic smells and tastes. Tannins act as astringents on the gastrointestinal tract. An astringent shrinks and tightens the top layers of mucous membranes, thereby reducing secretions, relieving irritation, and improving tissue firmness. Conversely, pennyroyal's volatile oils and other chemicals in it may cause slight stomach irritation, which may in turn relieve gas. Also called essential oils, volatile oils possess the characteristic smell and taste of the plant. They usually evaporate quickly at room temperature.
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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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