PENNYROYAL
American Pennyroyal, Dictame de Virginie, European Pennyroyal, Feuille de Menthe Pouliot, Frétillet, Hedeoma pulegioides, Herbe aux Puces, Herbe de Saint-Laurent, Huile de Menthe Pouliot, Lurk-In-The-Ditch, Melissa pulegioides, Mentha pulegium, Menthe Pouliot, Menthe Pouliote, Mosquito Plant, Penny Royal, Pennyroyal Leaf, Pennyroyal Oil, Piliolerial, Poleo, Pouliot, Pouliot Royal, Pudding Grass, Pulegium, Pulegium vulgare, Run-By-The-Ground, Squaw Balm, Squawmint, Stinking Balm, Tickweed.<br/><br/>
Uses & Effectiveness
Insufficient Evidence for
- Causing abortion. The large doses needed to cause an abortion can kill the mother or cause her irreversible kidney and liver damage.
- Reducing spasms.
- Intestinal gas.
- Pneumonia.
- Stomach pains.
- Weakness.
- Fluid retention.
- Killing germs.
- Skin diseases.
- Other conditions.
Side Effects & Safety
Pennyroyal oil is LIKELY UNSAFE when taken by mouth or applied to the skin. It can cause serious liver and kidney damage, as well as nervous system damage. Other side effects include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, burning of the throat, fever, confusion, restlessness, seizures, dizziness, vision and hearing problems, high blood pressure, abortion, lung failure, and brain damage.Repeated use of an alcoholic pennyroyal leaf extract over a period of 2 weeks has been linked to a death.
Not enough is known about the safety of using pennyroyal leaf as a tea.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pennyroyal is LIKELY UNSAFE for anyone to use, but it is especially unsafe for children and people with the following conditions.Pregnancy and breast-feeding: If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, it is LIKELY UNSAFE to take pennyroyal by mouth or apply it to your skin. There is some evidence that pennyroyal oil can cause abortions by causing the uterus to contract. But the dose needed for this effect could kill the mother or cause her life-long kidney and liver damage.
Pennyroyal leaf tea seems to be able to start menstruation, which could also threaten a pregnancy.
Children: It is LIKELY UNSAFE to give children pennyroyal by mouth. Two infants developed serious liver and nervous system injuries after taking pennyroyal, and one infant died.
Kidney disease: The oil in pennyroyal can irritate the kidney and make existing kidney disease worse.
Liver disease: The oil in pennyroyal can cause liver damage and might make existing liver disease worse.
Interactions
We currently have no information for PENNYROYAL Interactions.
Dosing
The appropriate dose of pennyroyal depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for pennyroyal. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
REFERENCES:
- Anderson IB, Mullen WH, Meeker JE, et al. Pennyroyal toxicity: measurement of toxic metabolite levels in two cases and review of the literature. Ann Intern Med 1996;124:726-34. View abstract.
- Bakerink JA, Gospe SM Jr, Dimand RJ, Eldridge MW. Multiple organ failure after ingestion of pennyroyal oil from herbal tea in two infants. Pediatrics 1996;98:944-7. View abstract.
- Hurrell RF, Reddy M, Cook JD. Inhibition of non-haem iron absorption in man by polyphenolic-containing beverages. Br.J Nutr 1999;81(4):289-295. View abstract.
- Sudekum M, Poppenga RH, Raju N, Braselton WE Jr. Pennyroyal oil toxicosis in a dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1992;200:817-8.. View abstract.
- Sullivan JB Jr, Rumack BH, Thomas H Jr, et al. Pennyroyal oil poisoning and hepatotoxicity. JAMA 1979;242:2873-4. View abstract.