Hops

Hops: Not Just for Beer Anymore

Hops are the fruiting bodies of a vine grown commercially in the Pacific Northwest for flavoring beer. Given their bitter flavor, hops traditionally have been used as a diuretic and as an aromatic bitter to stimulate digestion. Use of hops as a sedative is a relatively recent development. A condition called hop-picker fatigue has been identified, in which hop pickers were observed to tire easily, presumably because of contact with the plant’s resin or perhaps from inhaling its essential oil. Sedative action has been attributed to a volatile compound in hops that would be present in hop pillows (although absent from extracts), which provides a rational basis for the traditional use of hop-filled pillows to help aid sleep.

Medicinal Purposes:

Hops are used as relaxants upon the central nervous system, in the treatment of Insomnia, to ease tension and anxiety, and may help in cases of a headache and possibly indigestion. Externally the antiseptic action is utilized for the treatment of ulcers. Hops were at one time used as a sedative and as an anti-inflammatory extract known to have a mild firming action. It is also known as an aromatic bitter with mild digestive qualities, making it useful in anxious individuals who have a tendency toward intestinal gas CAUTION: DO NOT USE in cases with marked depression. Its actions include: sedative, hypnotic, antimicrobial, anti-spasmodic, and astringent. (Hops have been shown to have mild sedative properties. Many herbal preparations for insomnia combine hops with more potent sedative herbs, such as Valerian.)

Common Uses:

Historical or traditional uses of Hops:

Soothing the stomach and promoting healthy digestion have been the strongest historical use of this herb. Hops tea was also recommended by herbalists as a mild sedative and remedy for insomnia, particularly for those with insomnia resulting from an upset stomach. 1 A pillow filled with hops was sometimes used to encourage sleep. Traditionally, hops were also thought by herbalists to have a diuretic effect and to treat sexual neuroses. A poultice of hops was used topically to treat sores and skin injuries and to relieve muscle spasms and nerve pain.

Humulus is a central nervous system relaxant used extensively to treat of insomnia, and hop pillows are very popular. The volatile oils are active here, although the valerianic acid bitter component also contributes to this action. Hop pillows induce relaxation by acting on the olfactory centre and thus on the central nervous system through the limbic system. Humulus helps relieve tension and anxiety and may be used where tension results in restlessness, headache and indigestion. Alcoholic extracts of Humulus show a strong spasmolytic action on smooth muscle and is of benefit wherever there is visceral tension, for example, in nervous dyspepsia, nervous colitis, palpitations, nervous or irritable coughs, and asthma. It reduces the effects of the nervous system on the digestive system, whilst at the same time gently stimulating the digestion.

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http://www.lamasbeauty.com/glossary/glossary_H.htm

http://www.herbcompanion.com/articles/04_05_06-natural-herbal-remedies

http://www.holistic-online.com/Herbal-Med/_Herbs/h23.htm

http://myhealth.barnesjewish.org/library/healthguide/en-us/Cam/topic.asp?hwid=hn-2108006

http://www.purplesage.org.uk/profiles/hops.htm