PENNYROYAL (european) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FAMILY : Labiatae (Mint) GENUS : Mentha SPECIES : pulegium (Note: Mock or American Pennyroyal is Hedeoma pulegioides) IDENTIFICATION : A member of the mint family, Pennyroyal has smooth-edged or slightly toothed, hairy, oval leaves, up to 1/1/2 inches long, on short stalks. It grows approximately 1 1/2 feet tall, with lilac to pink flowers growing in round whorls in the leaf axils at the top of the stems or branches. (Magic and Medicine of Plants) HABITAT : A common wild plant in Britain, America, Germany and France. Grows best in damp shade, with moist rich soil. CONSTITUENTS : Volatile oil, consisting mainly of pulegone, isopulegone, menthol, isomenthone, limonene, piperitone, neomenthol and miscellaneous; bitters and tannins. USES : A tea brewed from the leaves of the pennyroyal plant is often recommended as a diaphoretic to inducing sweating to aid in eliminating toxins from the body or to help break a fever. It also serves as a carminative to relieve gas or abdominal colic, stimulate digestive action and to relieve nausea. Especially when brewed together with yarrow and elder flowers, Pennyroyal results in a tea that is recommended as a treatment for relief of coughs and other symptoms in the early stages of colds and flus. Pennyroyal is also used by herbalists as an emmenagogue to help bring on menstruation and to strengthen uterine contractions during childbirth. It has been used in large doses as an abortifacient, and should be avoided during pregnancy. Other uses include relaxation of spasmodic pain and easing of anxiety. Use of the oil as an insect repellant. And the greens supposedly help relieve diahrrea in rabbits. WARNINGS : Taken internally in large doses, European pennyroyal can produce convulsions and coma. Do not use Pennyroyal while pregnant. TEA : Pour a cup of boiling water onto l-2 teaspoonfuls of the dried leaves and let infuse for l0-l5 minutes. Drink several times a day.