Hyssop's therapeutic uses
Hyssop (Hyssop officinalis) is an herb with historical significance in both religious and medicinal contexts, often associated with purification and healing. It has been traditionally used to address respiratory ailments such as coughs, chest congestion, sore throats, and bronchitis. Additionally, hyssop has been employed to alleviate digestive issues, including stomach pain and gas. While its essential oil is popular among herbalists for these purposes, scientific evidence supporting many of these uses remains limited and preliminary.
Hyssop tea can be made by steeping the herb and is recommended as a gargle for sore throats. Some studies indicate that hyssop may possess potential antiviral properties, particularly against HIV and herpes simplex virus, though these findings primarily derive from animal research and require further investigation in humans. The herb also shows antioxidant potential due to its high polyphenol content, which may contribute to general health benefits.
However, care should be taken with hyssop, as excessive use of its essential oil can be toxic, and it may pose risks for certain populations, including those with epilepsy, young children, and pregnant or nursing women. Overall, while hyssop holds a place in traditional remedies, more rigorous research is needed to establish its efficacy and safety.
Hyssop's therapeutic uses
DEFINITION: Natural plant product used to treat specific health conditions.
PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USES: None
OTHER PROPOSED USES: Asthma, common cold, cough, sore throat
Overview
The herb hyssop (Hyssop officinalis) has a long history of use in both religion and medicine. The biblical phrase “purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean” echoes the ancient Greek use of this herb for cleansing sacred sites. Various preparations of hyssop have been used medicinally for respiratory problems, including cough, chest congestion, sore throat, and bronchitis. Hyssop has also been used to treat a variety of digestive problems, including stomach pain and intestinal gas. The fragrant essential oil of hyssop is an ingredient in the French herbal liqueur Chartreuse.
Therapeutic Dosages
A typical dose of hyssop essential oil is one to two drops daily. Hyssop tea is made by steeping two to three teaspoons of herb in a cup of hot water and may be taken two to three times daily for sore throat.
Therapeutic Uses
The essential oil of hyssop is recommended by herbalists for treating respiratory and digestive problems, such as the common cold, asthma, acute bronchitis and cough, stomach upset, and intestinal gas. Hyssop tea is recommended as a gargle for sore throat. However, meaningful evidence is lacking for most of these purposes.
Preliminary evidence, too weak to rely upon, hints that extracts of hyssop might have anti-HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) activity. Further research conducted in laboratory test tubes found evidence to support hyssop’s potential use for HIV therapy—it attacked enzymes and cell structures necessary for HIV to infect an organism. Other preliminary evidence weakly suggests that constituents in hyssop might reduce the absorption of carbohydrates from the digestive tract. This has led to statements that hyssop helps treat diabetes and aid weight loss, but the evidence is far too weak to draw any such conclusion.
Clinical studies of hyssop increased in the twenty-first century; however, these studies were relegated to animals, and more human studies are necessary to support the findings. A 2014 study indicated that hyssop may be effective in killing cancer cells, and a 2016 study that looked specifically at cervical cancer cells appeared to support the findings, but this study was conducted in a lamb. Animal studies have also indicated hyssop may effectively treat gastric and peptic ulcers. In a 2016 study in rats, hyssop appeared to be an effective antiviral medication in treating herpes simplex virus, delaying the onset of initial symptoms. Hyssop's high levels of polyphenols indicate its antioxidant power and suggest that it may have long-ranging general health benefits.
Other animal studies have shown positive results in using hyssop as an anticonvulsant. However, a negative side effect of hyssop may be the onset of seizures, so this finding is population dependent. It has also been proposed as a curing agent for pork as an alternative to nitrates.
Safety Issues
Hyssop has undergone no more than minimal evaluation for safety. Hyssop tea is thought to be relatively benign, but hyssop essential oil, like most essential oils, is toxic in excessive doses. Some of its constituents might increase the risk of seizures. For this reason, hyssop essential oil should not be used by people with epilepsy. It should also not be used by young children, pregnant or nursing women, or people with severe liver or kidney disease.
Bibliography
Dellwo, Adrienne. “Hyssop: Uses, Side Effects, Dosage, Interactions.” Verywell Health, 23 Feb. 2024, www.verywellhealth.com/hyssop-benefits-4588178. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Ghasempour, Masoumeh, et al. “The Impact of Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) Extract on Activation of Endosomal Toll Like Receptors and Their Downstream Signaling Pathways.” BMC Research Notes, vol. 15, no. 1, Dec. 2022, p. 366, doi:10.1186/s13104-022-06253-3.
Hold, K. M., et al. “Metabolism and Mode of Action of Cis- and Trans-3-Pinanones (The Active Ingredients of Hyssop Oil).” Xenobiotica vol. 32, 2002, pp. 251-65.
Matsuura, H., et al. “Isolation of Alpha-Glusosidase Inhibitors from Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis).” Phytochemistry vol. 65, 2003, pp. 91-97.
Miyazaki, H., et al. “Inhibitory Effects of Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) Extracts on Intestinal Alpha-Glucosidase Activity and Postprandial Hyperglycemia.” Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology vol. 49, 2004, pp. 346-49.
Wilson, Debra Rose, et al. “Hyssop Oil Uses, Benefits, Side Effects and How to Use It.” Healthline, 9 Aug. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/hyssop-oil. Accessed 22 Aug. 2023.