Hyssop

Hyssopus officinalis – Hyssop
Lamiaceae, or Labiatae – Mint family
The raw material is the hyssop herb – Hyssopi herba. The herb is harvested at the start of blooming and dried in natural conditions (shaded and ventilated) or in drying rooms in max. 35° C.

Hyssop – appearance and origin:

A perennial originating from Central Asia and the Mediterranean. Feralized, it is found in Central and Northern Europe. It is most often propagated by seed in frames. The seedlings are then planted in soil. It can also be propagated vegetatively through seedlings with shoots. The stem grows up to 60 cm, woody at the bottom, branched, densely leaved. The leaves are alternate, lanceolate, blunt. The flowers are dark blue, bilabiate, in pseudowhorls, often clustered at the tip in one-sided, small spike. The entire plant is glandular-pubescent. A distinct aroma. It blooms in July and August.

Hyssop – effects and use:

The raw material contains around 1% oil (mainly camphor, phytosterol, cineole, triterpenes, pinene), marrubiin, triterpene acids (oleanolic and ursolic), flavonoids (diosmin), hyssopin, pinocarriphone, resins and tannins. Pinocarriphone is toxic and can cause epileptic seizures.
Hyssop extracts are antiseptic (oil), astringent (tannins) and promote digestion (bitters). Similarly to other herbs rich in essential oils, the hyssop herb has a relaxant effect on the gastrointestinal tract and therefore regulates bowel function, relieving painful flatulence. It can be used to treat indigestion, colic, bloating and flatulence.

Apart from digestive benefits, the herb also has expectorant activity, which can be used in upper respiratory inflammation. A hyssop herbal tea with some added honey is a valuable and effective expectorant, as it helps in thinning and expelling mucus. Hyssop mildly supports the production of a thinner mucus and stimulates its excretion. It thins thick and dense mucus. The plant can irritate the mucosa so it should be taken once the worst symptoms of a common cold have passed. Hyssop is useful as a sedative in cases of asthma, both in children and in adults, especially when asthma is worsened by excess mucus.