This plant carries serious safety risks. All information is for educational reference only.
Safety information
Toxicity: SERIOUS — pennyroyal oil (pulegone) is hepatotoxic and a documented abortifacient that has caused fatal poisonings. | Serious — pennyroyal essential oil is toxic; human fatalities reported from ingestion as an abortifacient; toxic dose close to abortifacient dose; deaths linked to nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. ~1 ounce of oil has proved fatal.
Contraindications: PREGNANCY (abortifacient/emmenagogue); liver disease. | Avoid the essential oil completely; avoid in pregnancy.
Interactions: Hepatotoxic potentiation. | None specifically reported.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding: PREGNANCY contraindicated (abortifacient/emmenagogue). | Avoid in pregnancy (abortifacient/fatal).
Evidence level
Documented in systematic traditional medicine literature.
Preparations
This plant carries serious safety risks. All information is for educational reference only.
infusion · aerial parts
Part used: aerial parts
Traditional use: Traditionally used as a carminative for flatulence and colic and, historically, as an emmenagogue.
How to prepare (traditional): The dried herb is traditionally taken as a weak infusion, but the ESSENTIAL OIL is toxic and must be avoided entirely; actionable dosing is not detailed here given the herb's emmenagogue/abortifacient reputation and toxicity.
Dosage note (descriptive only): professional use only - not provided
Reference only — not a dosage instruction
Associated conditions
Healing traditions
Related plants
Sources (3)
- Hoffmann D., Medical Herbalism (2003) — David Hoffmann (2003)
- Mtsire Karabadini, Part II (Surmanidze, 1990) — Ramaz Surmanidze (1990)
- Karabadini (Khelaia ed., 2009) — Nani Khelaia (ed.) (2009)