Hyssopus officinalis (Hyssop) Flashcards
(9 cards)
How do you recognise Hyssop?
- An evergreen woody member of the Grows to 60cm
- Flowers are blue, pink or white. Leaves are narrow, opposite.
- Native to areas around the Mediterranean and Caspian seas.
- Used as a physical & spiritual cleanser.
- Grown as an ornamental plant in UK & is a good source of nectar for bees.
- Grows well in UK, rather like a mix of thyme and rosemary - strongly aromatic, bitter
- Used as a flavouring in food & in liqueurs such as Chartreuse - cuts through
What are Hyssop’s main constituents?
Constituents - most actions linked to essential oil:
* Essential oil – pinocamphone, a pinene, bpinen, linalool, cineole, limonene.
* Terpenoids – marrubiin, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid.
* Flavonoids.
* Hyssopin glycoside.
* Tannins.
* Resin.
* Marrubiin (which is a bitter) & some of the EO constituents are expectorant. Pinocamphone & thujone identified as possible epilepsy triggers. The terpenoids and flavonoids are mostly anti-inflammatory. Different chemotypes exist in different geographical areas.
What family is Hyssop?
Lamiaceae.
What is Hyssop good for?
Summary: Two poles - respiratory infections like bronchitis and colds (stimulating to clear crud, but also relaxing) and asthma, and also for funtional gut support eg IBS, wind, indigestion, bloating. Nervine stimulant and sores/ wounds.
Actions:
* Expectorant.
* Anti-inflammatory.
* Anti-infective – bacteria & viruses.
* Antispasmodic.
* Carminative.
* Diaphoretic.
* Nervine stimulant.
* Bitter.
Applications:
* Respiratory infections – bronchitis, colds, flu & catarrhal conditions.
* Sore throats.
* Asthma.
* Functional GIT problems eg IBS, especially wind and “indigestion”, bloating.
* As an uplifting tea.
* In the past used for epilepsy, but it may trigger seizures in susceptible people.
Externally: * For sores, ulcers & wounds”
What is Hyssop ‘s Latin name?
Hyssopus officinalis
What parts of Hyssop do you use?
Parts used: leaves and flowers
What safety issues might Hyssop have?
Safety: avoid in pregnancy & in people with epilepsy.
What useful research does Hyssop have?
External links:
* Hyssopus Essential Oil: An Update of Its Phytochemistry, Biological Activities, and Safety Profile 2022 – note focus upon EO.
* There are studies looking at the anti-infective qualities of the oil - positive - but add little to the overall picture of the plant. Research also shows that the plant eases artificially induced asthma in mice.
What remedies might you use Hyssop in?
Dosage: 15 – 40-ml/week 1:3 tincture.
Tastes really nice so people like it for a cough. Nice to make a hyssop honey.
Bendle puts it in cough medicine with Prunus and Hyssop for taste, maybe then with Marshmallow, Angelica, Thyme and/or Liquorice.
