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EUROPEAN PENNYROYAL (Mentha pulegium L.) XSynonym — Pulegium vulgare Mill.
Activities (European Pennyroyal) — Abortifacient (1; CRC; PH2; PNC); Antiseptic (1; CRC;
PH2); Antipyretic (f; APA); Antispasmodic (f; EFS); Carminative (1; APA; CRC; PNC); Cholagogue
(f; CRC); Decongestant (f; APA); Depurative (f; MAD); Diaphoretic (f; APA; CRC); Digestive (f;
APA; CRC); Diuretic (f; MAD; PHR); Ecbolic (1; CRC); Emmenagogue (1; AHP; APA; PNC);
Expectorant (f; APA; EFS; MAD); Hepatotoxic (f; PHR; PH2); Insecticide (1; CRC; PH2); Insec-
tifuge (2; APA; CRC); Nervine (f; MAD); Pectoral (f; CRC); Poison (1; CRC); Purgative (f; MAD);
Refrigerant (f; CRC); Stimulant (f; APA; CRC; PNC); Sudorific (f; CRC; EFS); Uterotonic (1;
AHP; MAD).
Indications (European Pennyroyal) — Amenorrhea (1; FNF; MAD; PH2); Anemia (f; MAD);
Angina (f; MAD); Biliousness (f; CRC); Bite (f; EFS; MAD); Cacoethes (f; CRC); Cancer, belly
(f; JLH); Cancer, colon (f; JLH); Cancer, pudenda (f; JLH); Cancer, spleen (f; JLH); Cancer,
stomach (f; JLH); Cancer, uterus (f; JLH); Cholecystosis (f; PHR; PH2); Cold (f; APA; CRC; PH2;
PNC); Colic (1; APA; PNC); Corn (f; CRC; JLH); Cough (f; APA; CRC); Cramp (f; CRC);
Dermatosis (f; APA; PHR; PH2; PNC); Dropsy (f; MAD); Dysmenorrhea (f; APA; CRC; HHB;
PNC); Dyspepsia (f; APA; MAD; PHR; PH2; PNC); Eczema (f; APA); Fibroid (f; CRC; JLH); Flu
(f; APA); Gas (f; CRC); Gastrosis (f; MAD; PHR); Gout (f; CRC; MAD; PNC); Headache (f; APA;
CRC); Hepatosis (f; CRC; PHR; PH2); Induration (f; CRC; JLH); Inflammation (f; APA); Itch (f;
PNC); Jaundice (f; MAD); Nephrosis (f; MAD); Neurosis (f; CRC; MAD); Polyp (f; JLH); Polyuria
(f; PHR; PH2); Scirrhus (f; JLH); Spasm (f; CRC); Splenosis (f; MAD); Syncope (f; CRC; MAD);
Tonsilosis (f; MAD); Tumor (f; CRC); Uterosis (f; CRC); Vertigo (f; CRC); Wound (f; APA).
Dosages (European Pennyroyal) — Should not be taken (APA); 1–4 g herb, or in tea, 3 ×/day
(CAN); 2 tsp (2 g) herb in hot tea (HHB; MAD); 1–4 ml liquid herbal extract (1:1 in 45% ethanol)
3 ×/day (CAN); 0.5–5 ml liquid leaf extract (PNC); 0.6–1.2 ml spirit of pulegium (PNC); 0.05–2
ml EO (I’d hesitate to suggest 0.2 ml, much less 2 ml; I think this is a frequent error in PNC) (PNC).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (European Pennyroyal) — Class 2b. Emme-
nagogue and uterotonic (AHP). In Canada, allowed in food or beverage only if pulegone-free
(AHP). CAN cautions that pulegone in the volatile oil can be irritant, hepatotoxic, and nephrotoxic.
Symptoms following EO ingestion include abdominal pain, agitation, diarrhea, high blood pressure,
lethargy, nausea, pyrexia, and generalized urticaria. Abortifacient doses are hepatotoxic and neph-
rotoxic. Because of pulegone’s abortifacient activity, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be
avoided. “Both the internal and external use of pennyroyal oil has been contraindicated” (CAN).