MENTHA PULEGIUM

Pennyroyal
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Pennyroyal

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Mentha
Species: M. pulegium
Binomial name
Mentha pulegium
L.

The herb Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, family Lamiaceae), is a member of the mint genus; an essential oil extracted from it is used in aromatherapy. Crushed Pennyroyal leaves and foliage exhibit a very strong mint fragrance. Pennyroyal is a traditional folk medicine poison and abortifacient. These oils are high in pulegone, a highly toxic volatile, which can stimulate uterine activity.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Uses
* 2 See also
* 3 References
* 4 External links

[edit] Uses

Pennyroyal tea has been traditionally employed as an emmenagogue or as an abortifacient. The essential oil is extremely concentrated, and is highly toxic even in small doses.[1] Complications have been reported from attempts to use the oil to induce abortions: in 1978, a pregnant woman died after consuming approximately two tablespoonfuls (30 ml) of Pennyroyal oil, and in 1994, another death occurred after a pregnant woman (attempting to self-abort, but with an unknown ectopic pregnancy) consumed tea containing Pennyroyal extract.[2][1]

[edit] See also

* Hedeoma pulegioides — American Pennyroyal, distantly related species
* "Pennyroyal Tea" (1993), grunge rock song by Nirvana

[edit] References

1. ^ a b U.S. National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health MedlinePlus website, Pennyroyal patient information retrieved on August 6, 2007.
2. ^ Metro Silicon Valley, December 14, 1995. "Lifestyle on Trial" by Gordon Young. Metroactive online edition, retrieved on August 6, 2007.

[edit] External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Mentha pulegium

* ARKive - images and movies of the Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)

* Comprehensive profile for Mentha pulegium from the website MaltaWildPlants.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennyroyal

Mentha pulegium - L.
Pennyroyal
Author L. Botanical references 17, 200
Family Labiatae Genus Mentha
Synonyms
Known Hazards warning signIn large quantities this plant, especially in the form of the extracted essential oil, can cause abortions so it should not be used by pregnant women[165].
Range Centraland southern Europe, including Britain, Mediterranean region, Macaronesia.
Habitat Moist meadows and sandy soils by streams etc[9, 17].
Edibility Rating apple iconapple iconapple icon 3 (1-5) Medicinal Rating apple iconapple iconapple icon 3 (1-5)
Physical Characteristics
icon of man icon of perennial/biennial/annual Perennial growing to 0.4m by 0.6m.
It is hardy to zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from August to October, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. It is noted for attracting wildlife.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.
Habitats

Ground Cover; Meadow;
Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves.

Edible Uses: Condiment; Tea.

Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 9, 27]. Used as a flavouring in salads or cooked foods[183]. A spearmint-like flavour, though rather coarser, it is not used very often in Britain[4]. A herb tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves[183]. For drying, it should be harvested as the plant comes into flower[4].
Medicinal Uses

Antiseptic; Antispasmodic; Carminative; Diaphoretic; Emmenagogue; Sedative; Stimulant; Uterine tonic.

Pennyroyal has been used for centuries in herbal medicine. Its main value is as a digestive tonic where it increases the secretion of digestive juices and relieves flatulence and colic[254]. Pennyroyal also powerfully stimulates the uterine muscles and encourages menstruation, thus it should not be prescribed for pregnant women since it can procure abortions, this is especially the case if the essential oil is used[238, 254]. The herb is antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, sedative and stimulant[4, 9, 46, 165]. A tea made from the leaves has traditionally been used in the treatment of fevers, headaches, minor respiratory infections, digestive disorders, menstrual complaints and various minor ailments[222, 238, 254]. It is occasionally used as a treatment for intestinal worms[254]. Externally, an infusion is used to treat itchiness and formication, inflamed skin disorders such as eczema and rheumatic conditions such as gout[254]. The leaves are harvested in the summer as the plant comes into flower and are dried for later use[4]. The essential oil in the leaves is antiseptic, though it is toxic in large doses[222].
Other Uses

Cleanser; Essential; Ground cover; Pot-pourri; Repellent; Strewing.

An essential oil is obtained from the whole plant, used in soap making[46, 61] and as a cleanser for fabrics[169]. A yield of 14kg of oil per hectare is considered good[4]. The plant has a low spreading habit and can be used as a ground cover, though it is somewhat sparse in the winter and can be invaded by the more aggressive weeds[K]. The growing or dried plant repels fleas, ants, moths, mice etc[18, 20, 148, 169, 201, 238]. Rats and mice intensely dislike the smell of mint. The plant was therefore used in homes as a strewing herb and has also been spread in granaries to keep the rodents off the grain[244]. A strong infusion applied to the face will keep gnats away in the summer[245]. The aromatic leaves are used as an ingredient of pot-pourri[238].
Scented Plants

Plant: Crushed Dried
The whole plant a strong spearmint smell.

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils and situations so long as the soil is not too dry[200]. Plants are very quickly diminished by dry conditions[4]. Prefers a stiff moist soil that is slightly acid[16, 27, 37, 200]. A sunny position is best for production of essential oils, but plants succeed in partial shade. Pennyroyal is often grown in the herb garden and is also cultivated commercially as a medicinal plant[4, 115]. There are two main forms of this species. One has weak prostrate stems and spreads by rooting where the stems touch the ground, it is only 10cm tall[4]. The other is erect, does not spread so freely and grows about 30cm tall, thus making it easier to harvest[4]. There is also at least one named form, called 'Dwarf' it is only a few centimetres tall[183]. The whole plant a strong spearmint smell. The flowers are very attractive to bees and butterflies[24]. A good companion plant for cabbages and tomatoes[20], helping to repel cabbage root fly and other burrowing insects[201]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].
Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually fairly quick. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Mentha species are very prone to hybridisation and so the seed cannot be relied on to breed true. Even without hybridisation, seedlings will not be uniform and so the content of medicinal oils etc will vary. When growing plants with a particular aroma it is best to propagate them by division[K]. Division can be easily carried out at almost any time of the year, though it is probably best done in the spring or autumn to allow the plant to establish more quickly. Virtually any part of the root is capable of growing into a new plant. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. However, for maximum increase it is possible to divide the roots up into sections no more than 3cm long and pot these up in light shade in a cold frame. They will quickly become established and can be planted out in the summer.
Cultivars

No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Links

PIW Logo Permaculture.info Details of this plant in the Permaculture.info project, a community plant and permaculture database.
References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[16] Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0
A good guide to growing vegetables in temperate areas, not entirely organic.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.

[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.

[24] Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden. 0
Fairly good with lots of ideas about creating wildlife areas in the garden.

[27] Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press 0 ISBN 0-89815-041-8
A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.

[37] Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878
Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[115] Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain. 0
Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.

[148] Niebuhr. A. D. Herbs of Greece. Herb Society of America. 1970
A pleasant little book about Greek herbs.

[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism. 0
An excellent small herbal.

[169] Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden. 0
Covers all aspects of growing your own clothes, from fibre plants to dyes.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[244] Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990 ISBN 0-330-30725-8
Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Mentha+pulegium