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 American False Pennyroyal
Hedeoma pulegioides (L.) Pers.
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Other common names.—Pennyroyal, mock pennyroyal, squaw mint, tickweed,
stinking balm, mosquito plant.
Habitat and range.—American pennyroyal is found in dry soil from Nova
Scotia and Quebec to the Dakotas and southward.
Description.—This strongly aromatic herb is of rather insignificant
appearance, being a low-growing plant from 6 inches to a foot in height with a
slender erect much-branched, somewhat hairy and square stem. The leaves are
small, thin, and rather narrow. From July to September close flower clusters
appear consisting of a few pale-bluish flowers. The entire herb has a strong
mintlike odor and pungent taste.
Part used.—The leaves and flowering tops are collected when the plant
is in flower. The distillation of oil of pennyroyal is a limited industry
carried on in scattered sections in the eastern part of the country.
From
Sloan-Kettering
An herbal extract oil or tea
derived from the leaves and flowering tops of the plant. This supplement is used
in folklore medicine to induce abortion and menses and to treat inflammatory
conditions, chronic bronchitis, minor ailments and colic in infants. Small
amounts of the oil are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a
flavoring agent. Pennyroyal oil contains several monoterpenes, principally
pulegone, which has known toxic effects on the liver and lungs. Oxidative
metabolites of pugelone, such as menthofuran, are oxidized further by cytochrome
P450 to reactive intermediates that form adducts with cellular proteins and
cause organ damage. Ingestion of pennyroyal oil in adults or tea in children
causes severe toxicity ), including hepatic failure, acute renal failure,
coagulopathies, metabolic acidosis, GI hemorrhage, pulmonary congestion with
consolidation, cerebral edema, seizures, disseminated intravascular coagulation,
and death. This is a dangerous herb and should not be
used.
WARNINGS
Analysis of commercially available pennyroyal leaves found contamination with
low levels of bacteria, fungi, and yeast species.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Due to its abortifacient effects, pennyroyal should not be consumed by pregnant
or breast-feeding women. Due to its toxic effects, pennyroyal should not be
consumed under any circumstances.
From
MedlinePlus a service of the U.S. Library of Medicine
Side Effects
and Warnings
Pennyroyal herb and volatile oils have been associated with multiple
reports of toxicity and adverse effects, including seizures, loss of
consciousness, and death. In animals, pennyroyal (taken by mouth or placed on
the skin) has been associated with liver, lung, and brain toxicity. Doses
greater than 10 milliliters of pennyroyal may be associated with death. Cases of
human overdose and death have been reported in infants, children, and adults.
Pennyroyal oil toxicity may cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, burning in
the throat, difficulty swallowing, diarrhea, excessive sweating, chills, fever,
headache, ringing in the ears, dizziness, extreme thirst, muscle spasms,
restlessness, tremor, excessive talkativeness, hallucinations, agitation,
drowsiness, fatigue, confusion, mania, seizures, organ failure (brain, liver,
lung, kidney, heart), altered (low or high) heart rate, altered (low or high)
blood pressure, slow breathing, coma, loss of consciousness, and death.
Typically, the first symptoms of poisoning, from either pennyroyal oil or
pennyroyal leaves, occur in the stomach and bowels, and are often apparent soon
after ingestion. Symptoms in pennyroyal overdose may mimic that of acetaminophen
(Tylenol®) overdose, and the use of N-acetylcysteine (an antidote used for
acetaminophen toxicity) treatment may prove beneficial.
Other side effects may include contact dermatitis, rash (when placed on the
skin), malaise, lethargy, agitation, abnormal sensations, or change (increase or
decrease) in pupil size. There are reports that pennyroyal may cause abortion.
Pennyroyal has been used historically as an emmenagogue (menstrual stimulant)
and may cause menstrual bleeding. There are reports that large amounts of
pennyroyal may be irritating to the urinary tract. Pennyroyal may cause
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hemolytic anemia (low red blood cell count due
to destruction of cells), disseminated intravascular coagulation (widespread
abnormal clotting and/or bleeding), and metabolic acidosis.
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