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Other name: Bine
Flower colour: Yellow/green
Flowering: July - September
Height: 3 - 10 m
Active ingredients: Bitter substances, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, essential oils, cyproteronacetate, phenolic acids
Used parts: 'Strobulus', The female flowers. So-called 'hop cones'
Hops was used by the ancient Romans as a vegetable. Though the plant is in modern times commonly know to be used for the brewing of beer, according to some people the first occurence of Hops being used that way is only in 1197. In that year the abbess of Rupertsburg, Hildegard von Bingen, declared that barley beer should be brewed with Hops. But actually there are also books that tell that it was already used in circa 768. Though it became popular to brew beer that way, for it is still done with Hops nowadays, it was not allowed in England. Henry the Sixth forbade the growing of Hops. If you did Hops in your beer in England, you would face penalties. This ban on Hops was only lifted by king Edward the Sixth. But even in 1670 people were not quite sure about the value of Hops in beer. A book from that time says that "although some people say that Hops is very valuable and that it indeed preserves the beer good, one gets to pay with their health". But during the same century, Humulus Lupulus became known as a useful medicine. An extract of the flowering tops was used to heal numerous poisonings. Furthermore, the plant was used against headaches and fever. In the eind of the nineteenth century Hops was used in the United States for several purposes, but mainly because of its sedative effect. In Europe and Asia the plant was sometimes put into one's pillow against sleeplessness. Hops was also known to work as an anti-aphrodisiac. This means that it was used to soothe the sexual organs. An interesting thing is that people also believed that Hops could make you happy. Hence, they sometimes wore a wreath of Hops. Furthermore, it was believed that one could use Hops to get nice hair. A lock of hair should be taken and put in the earth at the young roots of the Hops. Then, your hair would grow synchronous with the Hops plant. Humulus Lupulus was also a symbol of confidence and humility.
Nowadays Hops is still used. It is known to have a calming and sedative effect. Thus, it can be used for people who have problems with sleeping. Futhermore it is used to regulate excessive sex drive in men. It also helps lowering stress. It has a very soothing effect on the nervous system and it also has an antispasmodic effect. Hops stimulates the appetite, it improves the functioning of the liver and it has a diuretic effect.
Long internal use of Hops can cause paralysis.
Contact with the plant can cause skin irritations.
Humulus Lupulus can reduce your reaction time.
When harvesting Hops, stop after 2 hours! It can make you sleepy.
Do NOT use this plant if you have any kind of depression.
NEVER use Humulus Lupulus when you are pregnant!
Do NOT use Hops if you have, or have had, diseases that have something to do with hormones.
Hops can change the effects of hormone medicines!
Do NOT use this plant if you use medicines like sedatives, anxiolytics, hypnotics, antidepressants or antipsychotics.
Hops can change the effect of barbiturates.
Do NOT take nutritional supplements or iron preparations when using Hops, for Hops can change how well they work.
Do NOT use Hops combined with other plants that contain phytoestrogens. (Trifolium pratense, Glycine max, Salvia officinalis, Salvia sclarea, Cimicifuga racemosa, ...)
Basically, it is good to be very careful when using medicines. It is highly recommendable that you first try to see whether it can be comined safely or not.