Application
In medieval monastic medicine, hops were considered a blood purifier. It was used against many different diseases such as cystitis, uterine inflammation, headaches, asthma, podagra, and constipation.
Today, hops are used by herbalists for insomnia, nervous tension and cramps. Modern research has shown many properties, including a diuretic effect due to the plant's asparagine content. The estrogenic substances in hops can stop menstruation, which has been observed among female hop pickers.
The fresh hop shoots are edible and are called poor man's asparagus.
Hops are found as female plants and as male plants. The flowers of the female plants are called hop cones and are used for brewing beer.
If you suffer from insomnia, it is said to have a good effect to fill a pillowcase with dried hop cones and use it as a pillow.
Ingredients
Essential oils, bitter substances, tannins, flavonoid glycosides, fats, amino acids, estrogenic substances.
Humulus lupulus L.
Photo of page in Joachim Burser's herbarium.
