Health Benefits of Penny Royal Essential Oil
The health benefits of Penny Royal Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties like anti hysteric, anti microbial & anti bacterial, anti rheumatic & anti arthritic, anti septic, astringent, cordial, decongestant, depurative, digestive, emenagogue, insecticide and stomachic.
Penny Royal is a grass like creeper herb bearing a scientific name Mentha Pulegium and is native to Europe. It bears the prefix “Mentha” in its botanical name since it smells like mint when its leaves are crushed. The Essential Oil of Penny Royal is derived from the fresh plant by steam distillation and contains iso menthone, neo menthone, menthone and pulegone as its chief components. This oil is high in pulegone content and this makes it a deadly poison.
It is indeed a wonder why such a poisonous plant or oil has been in use as a folk medicine, and that too, from ancient times. But again, it is also true that most of the medicines (particularly in homeopathy) are based on poisons collected from plants and animals. It is the accuracy in quantity of doses, frequency of administration and diagnosis of disease that their use as medicine depends upon. So, before we proceed to know about its medicinal properties, one must understand and take this warning seriously that this oil should never be used unless administered by an expert practitioner, because many deaths have been reported resulted due to indiscriminate and incorrect use of this oil.
- Anti Hysteric: Those who suffer from hysteria and undergo sudden hysteric attacks such as convulsions, unconscious violent behaviour and fainting, always run the risk on their lives. They should always keep themselves away from fire, water, abrasives and height, as they are very much likely to burn, drown, cut and fell themselves while unconscious and undergoing such attacks. The Essential Oil of Penny Royal, due to its effect on nerves and brain, helps control these attacks and is particularly useful in hysteric fainting.
- Anti Microbial & Anti Bacterial: The anti microbial and anti bacterial properties of this oil are outcomes of its toxicity. You can imagine that even in trace quantities (such as parts per million), how deadly poison this oil might be for those tiny microscopic living beings (microbes) if it is such deadly for human that even a few milliliters can cause death. It kills the microbes and bacteria and protects us from infections caused by them.
- Anti Rheumatic & Anti Arthritic: The depurative property, the numbing effect of this oil on the nerves and its cordial and stimulating effects on the blood circulation together make it an ideal combination as an anti rheumatic and anti arthritic medicine. Being a depurative, it promotes removal of toxins like uric acid from the body, thereby eradicating the biggest cause behind rheumatism. The numbing effect on the nerves helps withstand the pain of rheumatism and arthritis. Its cordial or warming effect warms up the affected place and gives a better feeling and finally, its stimulating effect on the blood circulation which increases blood circulation, brings warmth to the affected places and also cures them because obstructed circulation is another reason behind rheumatism and arthritis.
- Anti Septic: Wounds and internal organs, particularly the urinary tracts, urethra, kidneys and uterus, may become septic due to infection by the germs. The highly poisonous behaviour of this oil makes it an anti septic, since it kills the germs or bacteria which causes septic. But this oil should be used in very mild doses as it is highly poisonous and irritant.
- Astringent: Traditionally, this oil has been in use as a gum strengthener which is probably due to its astringent properties, which makes the gums to contract and tighten their grip on the teeth. The effects of its astringency can also be felt on the other parts of the body as this property induces contraction in other muscles too and tightens them, pulls up the loose hanging skin, gives a face lift, strengthens hair roots and helps stop haemorrhage by contracting the blood vessels.
- Cordial: Due to its stimulating property, the Essential Oil of Penny Royal increases blood circulation which in turn warms up the whole body, thus behaving as a cordial. This warming effect gives relief from feeling of cold resulting from fever.
- Decongestant: The toxicity of this oil makes it an anti viral and fights infections in the lungs. This also loose the phlegm and catarrh deposition in the lungs and the respiratory tracts and promote their expectoration. This way, it behaves as a decongestant for the lungs.
- Depurative: There are certain reports which say that this oil can be used as a depurative, that is, a blood purifier. Certain components of this oil may help neutralize the toxins in the blood. As it promotes blood circulation, it also helps proper mixing of fresh oxygen with the blood and this way it may purify blood.
- Digestive: The herb Penny Royal has been in use in the folk medicines to facilitate digestion. This property is also reportedly present in its essential oil and it promotes digestion by stimulating secretion of digestive juices.
- Emenagogue: This is the well proven and well known property of Penny Royal Essential Oil. It opens blocked and delayed menstruations and makes them more regular by stimulating production of certain hormones like estrogen and progesterone.
- Insecticide: As this oil is toxic to human and other animals, it is toxic to insects too. It is a very efficient insect killer and is very effective if used in fumigants, sprays and vapourizers. Insects keep away from this oil. This oil is highly praised and reputed as an insect repellant.
- Stomachic: Used in very low doses, this oil can cure stomach problems and can settle the stomach. It cures infections in the stomach, helps maintain acid-base balance in the stomach by stimulating secretion of acids and bile into the stomach and also soothes inflammations and irritations in it.
- Other Benefits: It is also used to treat flatulence, ailments pertaining to gall bladder and liver, jaundice and hepatitis and tumours.
Few Words of Caution: This oil is highly poisonous to human and other animals. Ingestion even in little doses can cause death. It is a strong abortifacient too and therefore should be strictly avoided during pregnancy. It is not used in aromatherapy as inhalation in small quantity can seriously damage lungs and the respiratory tracts and liver. Further, although several medicinal properties of this oil has been discussed above, but most of them are reported to have been in use traditionally and their authenticity is very much doubted. There are no sufficient proofs for and against these medicinal properties except its properties like toxicity, insect repellant and abortifacient. So, utmost care should be taken while using this oil, internally or externally.
Blending: Penny Royal Essential Oil blends well with the essential oils of citronella, geranium, lavandin, rosemary and sage.
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This article was contributed by Aparup Mukherjee.
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