Pennyroyal Leaf

Western Bulk Herbs – Pennyroyal Leaf

Pennyroyal is the smallest of the mint family, and most well-known folk medicine use is as an abortifacient (abortion). It’s also a good insect repellent and in small doses used to treat digestive problems.

The herb is known to be toxic when taken in large doses, and skin contact with the pure oil can cause dermatitis.

Latin Name:
Mentha pulegium

Common Names:
European Pennyroyal, Mosquito plant, Squaw Balm, Squawmint, Tickweed, run by the Ground, Organ Tea, Lurk in the Ditch, and Pudding Grass

Parts Used:
The aerial portion

Properties:
Tonic and stimulant

Traditional Uses:
Tea but sometimes in extract. The fresh oil is used for insect repellent.

Topical Uses / Applications:

Culinary Uses:
Not normally used in cooking but can be added to salads and soups for a minty flavor. Be careful not to serve it to pregnant women without telling them it’s in their food. (See Cautions)

Chemical Properties:
Tannins, bitters, menthol, terpenoids, isopulegone, pulegone

Folk Lore:
Pennyroyal was used in the olden days to terminate a pregnancy when the women was attacked or didn’t want the baby. They would drink mass amounts of it in the early stages of their pregnancy.

Native Americans used it as a household remedy for digestion, colds, fever, painful menstruation, and childbirth. The natives also used it for an insect repellent and some would layer their house to keep the bugs at bay.

Cautions:
Do not ever use Pennyroyal if you are pregnant. Do not use if you have kidney or liver disease. Do not use on infants.

*Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Resources:
PDR for Herbal Medicines, 2000. Medical Economics Company, Montvale, New Jersey.

The New Holistic Herbal. David Hoffmann, 1990. Barnes and Noble Books, New York.

A Modern Herbal, Mrs. M. Grieve, (Dover Publications, New York, 1971)

Major Herbs of Ayurvedic.Compiled by Dahur Research Foundation and Dahur Ayurvet Limited, Ghaziabad, India., 2002. Churchill Livingstone, London, England.

Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, Third Edition, Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, 1986. Eastland Press, Seattle, WA.