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Hops Herb - Uses And Side Effects

Used by some people as a sedative-hypnotic, hops are most familiar as a beer ingredient, where they add a bitter taste and act as a preservative. The hops plant, Humulus lupulus, belongs to the Cannabaceae family (the same genus as Cannabis sativa/indics, or marijuana). A perennial vine, it grows up to 20 feet (6 meters) long. Fruits or flowers appear in conelike leafy bracts at the base of the flower stalk, and typically measure 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) long.

Common doses of hops

Hops come in herbal tea preparations. Both solid and liquid forms are gaining in popularity, and some people apparently smoke dried hops. No specific dose is recommended because hops commonly are used in combination with other herbs or as a tea. However, based on combination products, the approximate dosage may be 2 to 4 milligrams of the extract.

Uses of hops herb

Hops have tonic, nervine, diuretic and anodyne properties. Their volatile oil produces sedative and soporific effects, and the Lupamaric acid or bitter principle is stomachic and tonic. For this reason Hops improve the appetite and promote sleep. Specifically, hops may help to :-

• As a hypotic or sedative
• Depression
• Menopause symptoms
• Pain
• Tapeworms, pinworms, and other worm infections
• To ease muscle spasms
• To stimulate the digestive system

Side effects of hops

Call your health care practitioner if you experience any of these possible side effects of hops:

• airway irritation and bronchitis (with inhalation)
• sedation
• severe allergic reaction (chest tightness, wheezing, hives, itching, and rash) and allergic skin rash.
• blisters
• mental slowness

Interactions

Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Tell your health care practitioner about any prescription or nonprescription drugs you're taking, especially drugs that slow the nervous system, including:

• alcohol
• anticholinergics such as atropine
• antidepressants such as Prozac
• antihistamines
• antipsychotic drugs such as Haldol
• anxiety medications, such as Ativan and Valium
Don't use hops when taking:
• Drugs metabolized by the liver's cytochrome P-450 system, such as certain antibiotics (including Ery- Tab and Nizoral), Coumadin, Inderal, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including Advil and Naprosyn), Theo-Dur, and Tylenol
• phenothiazine-type drugs such as Thorazine.

Important paints to remember

• Use hops with caution if you regularly consume alcohol or are taking a drug that slows the nervous system, such as a cold or allergy drug, a sedative, a tranquilizer, a narcotic pain reliever, a barbiturate, a drug for seizures, or a muscle relaxant.
• Note that the herb loses potency when stored. Only 15% remains after 9 months.
• Avoid driving and other hazardous activities until you know how hops affect you.

What the research shows

Medical experts believe hops probably are safe when used infrequently for insomnia by people who don't take other drugs and who don't have preexisting medical conditions. Although the herb has estrogen-like effects, its use in treating menopause is less established than its use in treating insomnia. Medical experts don't recommend hops because they don't have enough information to determine what dose to use or to evaluate the herb's safety and benefits.

Other names for hops: -

Products containing hops are sold under such names as Avena Sativa Compound in Species Sedative Tea, HR 129 Serene, HR 133 Stress, Melatonin with Vitamin B6, Snuz Plus, and Stress Aid.

Hops also is available as single-ingredient compounds.