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VBMA Herbal Wiki |
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The next herb on the western
herbal study guide is Pennyroyal, *Mentha pulegium.*
Part used: herb
Taste: sour, cool, dry, astringent and
bitter
Tissue State: constriction (*Matt
Wood*)
Actions: (*Pete Holmes*)
1. Uterine Qi stagnation-strongest herb to promote
menstruation and used in the expulsion of the placenta
and promoting tissue repair.-it causes uterine
relaxation and relieves pain. It can help labour when
interrupted by tension, apprehension or just sheer
exhaustion.
2. Have a relaxant effect in Qi constraint-used to treat
lung Qi constraint with wheezing
3. Downward moving and heat clearing effect on Liver
Fire rising; can treat heatstroke, heat cramps and
cerebral congestion. (the herb is used as a tincture or
infusion.) 4. Topically clears infection, resolves
contusion, promotes tissue repair a, antidotes poison
and repels insects.- used for wounds- * CAREFUL* -never
use anything more than a 1 % dilution. for external use
with the essential oil. (and I would think never use on
a cat and safer essential oils available for use as
insect repellents on dogs.) The volatile oil from both
the American and European pennyroyal, pulegooides, if
thought to become bioactivated to a hepatotoxic
metabolite called menthofuran.
Specific Indication: toothache,
earache, cold with catarrh, bronchitis, cervical
ulceration, delayed menstruation, uterine fibroids,
influenza. |
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| MOORE |
| *Michael Moore* wrote the tea
from the dried herb is a "safe and sure menstrual
stimulant. particularly when the period has been delayed
several days..when there is a short and inadequate
progesterone phase. The tea or tincture helps the
uterine lining "liquefy and flow". The *oil *was
formerly used as an abortifacient, and *proved
dangerous*enough to have established a record of
mortality among women. Pennyroyal should NEVER be used
as an abortifacient nor should it be taken during
pregnancy. But Michael Moore felt that the tea is safe
to be used for delayed menses. |
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| MILLS AND BONE |
| Safety summary-Hish risk of
damage to a fetus; contraindicated in breast-feeding; DO
NOT take during pregnancy or lactation. Do Not take the
oil internally. |
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| CULPEPER |
| *Culpeper* notes that "The herb
is under Venus. Discorides saith, that Pennyroyal makes
thin tough phlegm, warms the coldness of any part
whereto it is applied, and digests raw or corrupt
matter; Being boiled and drained, it provokes women's
courses, and expels the dead child and after-birth, and
stays the disposition to vomit being taken in water and
vinegar mingled together. And being mingled with honey
and salt, it voids phlegm out of the lungs, and purges
melancholy by the stool. Drank with wine, it helps such
as are bitten and stung with venomous beasts, an applied
to the nostrils with vinegar, revives those that are
fainting and swooning. Being dried and burnt, it
strengthens the gums. It is helpful to those that are
troubled with the gout, being applied of itself in a
plaster, it takes away spots or marks in the face;
applied with salt, it profits those that are splenetic,
or livergrown. The decoction doth help the itch, if
washed therewith. The green herb bruised and put into
vinegar, cleanses foul ulcers, and takes way the marks
of bruises and blows about the eyes, and all
discolourings of the face. by fire, yea, and the
leprosy, being drank and outwardly applied. It helps
the tooth-ache. It helps the cold griefs by the joints
taking away the pains, and warms the cold part...Pliny
adds, the Pennyroyal and mint together, help faintings,
being put into vinegar..It eases head aches, pains of
the breast and belly, and gnawings of the stomach;
applied with honey, salt and vinegar, it helps cramps or
convulsions of the sinews. It is effectual for the
cough, and for ulcers and sores in the mouth; drank in
wine it provokes women's courses, and expels the dead
child and after-birth." |
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| FELTER |
*Felter* talks about American
Pennyroyal; Hedeoma pulegiodes (Squawmint, Tickweed.)
Specific Indications: amenorrhea of
long standing, with pallor and anemia and dark circles
around the eyes; the patient complains of languor,
lassitude, takes cold easily, has pain in back and
limbs, and exhibits full prominent veins; suppressed
lochia.
Action: *Oil of Pennyroyal produces
toxic effects *when give in overdoses; signs severe
headache, difficult swallowing, intense nausea,severe
retching, intolerable bearing down, nervous weakness.
Therapy: External.
Oil of Pennyroyal is rubefacient and relieves itching of
insect bites. A cloth saturated with oil of pennyroyal
may be hung in sleeping apartments to repel such
insects. Internal- (In recent literature do not take the
oil internally, only tea or tincture) Oil of Pennyroyal
is useful in nausea, stomach cramps, flatulent colic,
and anemorrhea in debilitated subjects. The dilution in
alcohol are credited with calmative properties in
spasmodic cough, whooping cough and in hysteria from
menstrual debility. A drachma of the specific medicine
given in hot water is the most certain agent we possess
to restore suppressed lochia. The infusion is a poplar
and pleasant remedy for acute colds. It acts chiefly as
a diaphoretic. |
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| ROSS |
Jeremy Ross uses quite a bit of
pennyroyal but feels ONLY use as infusion or tincture
and that the internal and external use of the oil of
M.pulegium is contraindicated. The herb likes to grow in
damp habitats. He considers the herb to be warm not cool
Treat Ki, Ht, Liver and Uterus.
Chinese actions:
1. Calms Kidney fears-tranquilizer for fearfulness and
desperation calms Heart Spirit for anxiety and
palpitations Calm Liver yang for nervous headaches
2. Regulate Intestines Qi has a carminative, spasmolytic
and tranquilizer effect to treat gas and colic with
fearful nervous tension
3. regulate Uterus Qi as an emmenagogue, spasmolytic ,
and tranquilizer to teat delayed menstruation due to
chill or scanty menstruation due to fear or shock. |
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