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Note - the monographs are provided for informational purposes only, and are not to be used for self-medication.

Humulus lupulus (Hops)

Botanic Name

Humulus lupulus

Common Name

Hops, Common Hop 1

Family

Cannabinaceae

Parts Used

Strobiles

Habitat

Roadsides, waste places. Native to both North America and Europe, hops grow throughout the North and South islands of New Zealand; they are also cultivated in both New Zealand and Tasmania for beer-brewing 1

Constituents

Resinous bitter pricniples (humulone, cohumulone, adhumulone) 2

Volatile oil (myrcene, humulene, caryophyllene) 2

Flavonoids (rutin, kaempferol, quercetin, chalcones) 2

Polyphenols (tannins) 2

Phenolic acids (ferulic, chlorogenic) 2

Unidentified oestrogenic substances 2

Actions

Sedative 2, 3, 4

Soporific (Hypnotic) 2, 3

Spasmolytic 2 Visceral antispasmodic 4

Aromatic bitter 2

Antiseptic 3, 4

Astringent 3

Bitter digestive tonic 4

Applications

Hysteria 5

Dysmenorrhoea 5

Nervous Exhaustion 5

Pruritis 5

Facial and brachial neuralgia 5

Local inflammatory and irritable conditions 5

To visceral smooth muscle tensions affecting digestive and bowel function 4, 3

As a bitter tonic to aid digestion 4, 2

As a sedative to encourage restfulness and sleep and reducing symptoms of nervous tension 4 , 3, 2

As an inhalant to induce sleep 4

Headache 3

Ulcers (topical) 3

Dosage

Medium Dose Herb

LE (1:1, 45%) 0.5 – 1 ml tds 2

Combinations

In insomnia Passiflora incarnata and Valeriana officinalis 3

C/I Cautions

Inadvisable in depression 2, 6

BHP S/I

Restlessness associated with nervous tension headache and/or indigestion7

References

  1. Reader’s Digest, Magic and Medicine of Plants. Surry Hills: Reader’s Digest, 1994.
  2. Bradley, P.R.(Ed.), British Herbal Compendium Volume I, British Herbal Medicine Association, 1992.
  3. Hoffmann, D., The New Holistic Herbal, Element, Dorset, 1990.
  4. Mills, S., The Complete Guide to Modern Herbalism, Thorsons, Great Britain, 1994.
  5. Priest, A.W. and Priest, L.R. Herbal Medication. A Clinical and Dispensary Handbook. London: L.N. Fowler & Co. Ltd.
  6. McGuffin, M., Hobbs, C., Upton, R., Goldberg, A., American Herbal Products Association - Botanical Safety Handbook, CRC Press, 1997.
  7. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1983. British Herbal Medical Association. 1989.

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Revised: May 20, 2002 .