Pennyroyal is a medicinal plant that offers many health benefits, such as helping to treat flu, bronchitis and whooping cough, improving digestion, combating excess gas, relieving menstrual cramps and warding off insects.
The benefits of pennyroyal, also known as pennyroyal, pennyroyal or lungmint, are possible due to the fact that this plant contains pulegone, menthone, menthofuran, diosmin and hesperidin, flavonoids and essential oils that have digestive action, expectorant, stimulant, emmenagogue, repellent and diaphoretic.
The main types of pennyroyal are those known by the scientific names of Mentha Pulegium ou Cunila microcephala Benth. Pennyroyal can be found in health food stores or open-air markets, and is used to prepare teas, syrups or even to prepare foods such as fish, sausage, flavored olive oil and meat.
What is it for
The main indications of pennyroyal for health are:
1. Combat respiratory problems
Because it has an expectorant and anti-inflammatory action, pennyroyal combats respiratory problems such as flu, bronchitis or whooping cough, relieving coughs with phlegm. Discover other home remedies recommended for coughing with phlegm.
Furthermore, pennyroyal also has a diaphoretic action, stimulating perspiration, increasing sweat production and therefore helping to reduce fever.
2. Relieve poor digestion
Pennyroyal contains menthone and flavonoids, which are bioactive compounds with digestive, carminative and tonic properties, which improve the production of bile, relieving poor digestion, in addition to combating excess gas in the stomach and intestine.
3. Reduce menstrual cramps
Menthone, an essential oil present in pennyroyal, has a relaxing and carminative action, which helps to relax the uterine muscles, relieving menstrual cramps and abdominal discomfort. See other home remedies recommended for menstrual cramps.
4. Keep away insects
Because it has insecticidal, antimicrobial and repellent action, pennyroyal can be useful for keeping insects away, as well as helping to control the growth of fungi, bacteria and parasites in environments, plants and animals, for example.
5. Regulate menstruation
Menthofuran, an essential oil present in pennyroyal, has emmenagogue properties that stimulate the contraction of the muscles of the uterus, helping to induce and regulate menstruation.
6. Treat wounds
Pennyroyal, when used in the form of compresses, helps in the treatment of small wounds on the skin, because this plant has antimicrobial and healing action.
How to prepare tea
To prepare pennyroyal tea, you can use the leaves, stems or flowers of this plant.
Ingredients:
- 1 dessert spoon of pennyroyal leaves, stems or flowers;
- 1 cup (tea) of water.
Preparation mode:
In a pan, boil the water and, after turning off the heat, add the pennyroyal to the boiling water, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and drink 2 to 3 cups of this tea per day, during or after meals, for up to 2 weeks.
How to use pennyroyal
Pennyroyal can be used in cooking to season savory dishes, such as fish, sausage, liqueur, flavored olive oil, meat, and also sweet dishes, such as pudding, pie, jam and fruit salad.
Furthermore, pennyroyal can also be used in the preparation of syrups, in compresses and as an essential oil:
- Syrup: pennyroyal syrup can be used to help combat coughing with phlegm. See how to make pennyroyal syrup for coughing with phlegm;
- Essential oil: can be used in a diffuser, or by diluting 5 drops of the essential oil in a vegetable oil, such as almond or coconut oil, and gently massaging it onto the skin;
- Tablet: It can help with the healing of small wounds. To do this, simply soak gauze or cotton in pennyroyal tea and apply it to the affected area for 15 to 20 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day.
Although pennyroyal provides many health benefits, using this plant for medicinal purposes should only be done under the direction of a doctor or other healthcare professional who specializes in the use of medicinal plants.
Possible side effects
The side effects of pennyroyal are generally related to consuming high amounts of this plant and include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, high blood pressure, decreased heart rate and urticaria, a skin irritation that causes symptoms such as red spots, severe itching or swelling of the skin.
Who cannot use
Pennyroyal, in the form of teas and essential oil, is contraindicated for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Just as this plant is also not recommended for children under 6 years of age.
People who use medications or supplements on a regular basis should only consume pennyroyal under the guidance of a doctor. This is because there are still no studies on interactions between pennyroyal and medications.
Furthermore, people with liver or kidney problems should only consume pennyroyal under the recommendation of a doctor, as consuming this plant can cause damage to these organs.
