HYSSOP herb by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Hyssop plant (Hyssopus officinalis) has been cultivated in Central Europe for a long time. Hyssop serves not only as spice but in many countries including Hungary, it is used as a folk medicine against certain respiratory diseases.

Hyssop Herb, 445 mg
Nature's Way

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) herb once used to clean ancient temples, is now a popular herb during the winter season. Known for its strong mint smell and pretty flowers, it was strewn on floors to deodorize and purify the air. Today it is used as a popular herbal supplement available in capsules, as a hyssop tea, as aromatic nasal and chest rubs, and as an attractive addition to the herb garden.

Hyssop Supplement Facts
Hyssop (leaf, flowering top) -  890 mg*

Recommendation: As an addition to the daily diet, take one or two hyssop capsules daily. * Hyssop daily value not established
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Hyssop chemicals
Hyssop contains rosmarinic and caffeic acids along with pinanones, beta-pinene, limonene, pinocamphone, and isopinocamphone.

Essential oils of sage, mint, and hyssop generally have a bacteriostatic activity.

Crude extracts of dried leaves of Hyssop contain strong anti-viral and anti-HIV-1 activity.

Hyssop herb caution
Very high doses of hyssop have been found to have convulsant properties, perhaps due to their content of terpene ketones pinocamphone and isopinocamphone.

Hyssop summary
it's difficult to make any recommendations regarding hyssop since so little is known about its properties. See a list of herbs used in medicine.

Hyssop Plant Research Update
Inhibitory effects of hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) extracts on intestinal alpha-glucosidase activity and postprandial hyperglycemia.

J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2003 Oct;49(5):346-9.
It has been known that hyssop is a herb that grows in the wild and is a source of natural antioxidants. We previously reported that a-glucosidase inhibitors, from the dry leaves of hyssop, were isolated. This study examined the alpha-glucosidase inhibitory effects of hyssop extracts on intestinal carbohydrate absorption in rat everted gut sac and carbohydrate-loaded hyperglycemia in mice. In the everted gut sac experiment, 10 mM sucrose- and 5 mM maltose-treated increases in glucose concentration in the serosal compartment were inhibited in the presence of 0.5 and 1.0 mg/ mL hyssop extracts, although a 10 mM glucose-induced increase in serosal glucose was not inhibited by the extracts. Additionally, hyperglycemia in sucrose- and maltose-loaded mice was significantly suppressed at an early stage, within 30 to 60 min by oral pre-administration of 300 and 100 mg/kg hyssop extracts, respectively. These findings suggest that hyssop extracts inhibited the digestion of complex carbohydrates, but not that of absorbable monosaccharide, and might be a useful supplemental food for hyperglycemia.

Isolation of alpha-glusosidase inhibitors from hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis).
Phytochemistry. 2004 Jan;65(1):91-7.
Alpha-Glucosidase inhibitory activity was found in aqueous methanol extracts of dried hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) leaves. Active principles against alpha-glucosidase, prepared from rat small intestine acetone powders, were isolated and characterized.

Anise Hyssop
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is an erect, branched perennial herb and member of the mint family. Anise hyssop has a pleasant anise-like aroma. Anise hyssop has been used by North American native people as a breath-freshener, tea and as a sweetener.

Hyssop emails
Q. I heard Hyssop was being used to lower blood sugar. Your article seems to say the opposite.
   A. We have not seen any clinical studies in humans regarding the use of hyssop for blood sugar or diabetes, hence we can't say whether hyssop herb is effective for this purpose. Actually the rat study you refer does indicate hyssop was able to be helpful in high blood sugar.

 

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