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Pennyroyal tea has been used for cold relief, fevers, coughs, indigestion, liver and kidney problems and headaches. The fresh or dried leaves of pennyroyal have also been used when treating influenza, abdominal cramps, to induce sweating, as well as in the treatment of diseases such as smallpox and tuberculosis.
Is it safe to drink pennyroyal tea?
Pennyroyal tea and leaf extracts have been used without serious side effects. Pennyroyal oil, however, is highly toxic, and even small doses (one tablespoon, 15 mL) can cause syncope, seizures, coma, cardiopulmonary collapse, acute liver injury, renal insufficiency and multiorgan failure.
What are the benefits of pennyroyal tea?
Despite serious safety concerns, pennyroyal is used for colds, pneumonia, and other breathing problems. It is also used for stomach pains, gas, intestinal disorders, and liver and gallbladder problems. Women use it to start or regulate their menstrual periods, or to cause an abortion.
Is pennyroyal an abortive?
There is some evidence that pennyroyal oil can cause abortions by causing the uterus to contract. But the dose needed in order to cause an abortion could kill the mother or cause life-long kidney and liver damage. Children: It is LIKELY UNSAFE to give children pennyroyal by mouth.
How much pennyroyal tea is too much?
Toxicology. The toxicity of pennyroyal oil is well recognized, with many documented reports of adverse events and fatalities. In humans, consumption of 10 mL of the oil has resulted in moderate to severe toxicity, with case reports of fatalities 1 to 2 hours after consumption of 15 mL.
How do you drink pennyroyal tea?
To make the tea, the leaves of the plant are boiled in hot water. The lower concentration of toxic chemicals in these teas are less harmful than pennyroyal oil. It is recommended that people only drink pennyroyal tea periodically, as it is taxing on the body and should not be drunk on a regular basis.
Why is pennyroyal toxic?
Pennyroyal oil contains pulegone, which is highly toxic, particularly to the liver. Ingestion can lead initially to gastrointestinal distress such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Later on, it can lead to failure of the liver and kidneys, resulting in bleeding, seizures, multiple organ failure, and death.
What does pennyroyal taste like?
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), looks like mint, smells like mint and even tastes like mint but unlike mint contains pulegone, an extremely poisonous compound that is toxic to the liver and acts as an abortificant. Pennyroyal has been used as a culinary herb for thousands of years.
What pennyroyal means?
Definition of pennyroyal 1 : a European perennial mint (Mentha pulegium) with small aromatic leaves. 2 : an aromatic North American mint (Hedeoma pulegioides) that has blue or violet flowers borne in axillary tufts and yields an oil used in folk medicine or to drive away mosquitoes.
How do I know if I have pennyroyal?
American pennyroyal is an annual mint with small, oval leaves arranged opposite each other on a square stem. Leaves are entire and may be sparsely-toothed or smooth on the margins. The erect stems grow to 1 ft (31 cm) high from a many-branched root system.
How long should pennyroyal tea steep?
For adults (excluding pregnant or nursing women, children, and people with liver or kidney disease), a tea of pennyroyal can be prepared by putting 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 grams) of the herb in 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water and allowing it to steep for 10–15 minutes.
What does English pennyroyal look like?
The plant features long, weed-like stalks with vibrant green leaves and tight purple blooms. When crushed, pennyroyal’s leaves emit a fragrance similar to that of spearmint. For centuries, pennyroyal plant has been used as an herbal preparation to deter pests like fleas and gnats.
Where is pennyroyal found?
The plant is found in humid, low-coastal regions along the Mediterranean Sea, and grows best in fertile, moist soils with partial shade (14.1-8). American pennyroyal grows on dry, sandy soils and is commercially cultivated to only a very limited extent.
What are the effects of pennyroyal?
It can cause serious liver and kidney damage, as well as nervous system damage. Other side effects include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, burning of the throat, fever, confusion, restlessness, seizures, dizziness, vision and hearing problems, high blood pressure, lung failure, and death.
What were pennyroyal pills?
Pennyroyal has always been associated with women’s bodies and sexuality: it was used in love potions, served as an obscene metaphor for female pubic hair, and was employed as a symbol of illicit sexuality. It has also been known since antiquity as a powerful abortifacient.
Who wrote pennyroyal tea?
How do you use pennyroyal as an insect repellent?
Fill with crushed pennyroyal leaves, cover with an unscented oil (light olive, safflower or sunflower are all suitable). Place on a sunny windowsill for about three weeks, shaking every few days. Strain and use. Try sprinkling a few drops of pennyroyal oil into water to repel mosquitoes, or rub it on your skin.
Is Penny Royal invasive?
Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal) is a perennial mint (family Lamiaceae) with a variable habit, ranging from low-growing, spreading plants to lanky, upright sub-shrubs. Although pennyroyal is considered moderately invasive in wetlands its ecological impacts are not well documented.
Is mint toxic to humans?
Like many herbs, mint can adversely affect some people. According to a 2019 review , mint commonly acts as a trigger for GERD symptoms. Taking peppermint oil in large doses can be toxic . It is essential to stick to the recommended doses of peppermint oil.
