The herbal and health information provided in this Web Site is intended as historical information only. The historical uses are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Nothing listed within this Web Site should be considered as medical advice for dealing with a given problem. You should consult your health care professional for individual guidance for specific health problems. Persons with serious medical conditions should always seek professional care.
The Hops plant, Humulus lupuius, is a perennial climbing vine and hedgerow that twines around trees. Belonging to the family Cannabidaceae, Hops are extensively cultivated in England, Germany, the United States, South America, and Australia. The Hops plants bear a female strobile (fruit) shaped like a scaly cone, covered with glandular hairs containing the resinous bitter principles which make Hops so popular in brewing and in medicine. Hops have been used since Roman times in brewing beer and as a nerve tonic and sedative. It has also been used historically to control diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease, where spasms of the smooth muscles play a role.
Although Hops have been used for brewing beer for over 1,000 years, their medicinal properties have also been valued from very early times. Hops pickers used to tire easily, apparently as a result of transferring some Hops resin from their hands to their mouths, gaining Hops a reputation as a safe sedative. Later, pillows filled with Hops were used for insomnia and nervousness. Small bags of Hops, wetted with alcohol and placed on the skin, were also said to reduce local inflammation.
Experiments have shown that Hops relaxes the smooth muscles and acts as a sedative. It has been used to increase breast milk for irritable infants (and probably pass along its soothing effects).
The main constituent chemicals are unstable polyphenolic principles, primarily lupulin, which contains a bitter acid complex (2-Methyl-3-butonol, humulone, lumulone, lupulone and valeronic acid) and a volatile oil complex (humulene, myrcene, b-carophyllene and farnescene). The bitter acids humulone and lupulone have been associated with sedative properties. Hops also contain tannins, flavonoid glycosides (rutin, quercetin and astragalin), and asparagine.
CAUTION: If you are pregnant or nursing, consult your health care professional before using Hops products. Not recommended for people suffering from depressive illness.
(This herbal ingredient can be purchased from Viable Herbal Solutions in powdered and capsule form as part of our Single Herb sales program, and in capsule form as part of our Combo Herbs sales programs.)
