HOPS FLOWER EXTRACT (Humulus americanus) - 8 ounce size
Here you get a 8 ounce bottle of HOPS FLOWER EXTRACT (Humulus americanus) Fresh Flower Extract. Done at a 1:2 Fresh Plant Ratio. ~ 60% Organic Alcohol in finished extract.
HOPS (some notes)
Humulus americanus
A very good medicine plant for pain, insomnia, indigestion, digestive insomnia, cramps, spasms, SIBO, bacteria biofilm reduction, and a lot more!
Hop or hops (Humulus lupulus) is a climbing vine belonging to the genus Humulus in the family Cannabaceae.
Hops is a dioecious perennial plant native to the Northern Hemisphere. It grows vigorously from the end of April to the beginning of July in the temperate climate zone. It is found in shrubbery and at the edge of forests with access to sufficient water, and it reaches a height of up to 7–8 m (23–26 feet).
When the plant reaches a certain height, it starts to blossom. Many female flowers form an inflorescence, called strobiles, which consist of membranous stipules and bracts that are attached to a zigzag, hairy axis. Each small branch of the axis bears a bract, represented only by its pair of stipules, which subtends either 4 or 6 bracts, each enclosing a flower or fruit. The stipules and bracts resemble one another closely but are actually numerous shining glands. When separated, these constitute the drug lupulin. The bracts and stipules of the hop contain polyphenols; the odor and taste of the drug is due mainly to the very complex secretion contained in the lupulin glands.
Polyphenols are compounds that have natural antioxidant potential, as well as in the case of Hops, are extremely antibacterial. Some polyphenols even have the ability to break down bacterial biofilm. Perhaps this is why hops is considered a first rate antibacterial plant medicine. Historically, this is why Hops was used in beer making. It was used to preserve the beer from going rancid.
There is another compound that is found mostly in the strobiles/flowers of hops and is called Lupulin. This yellow substance is where hops gets most of its sedative properties from.
KINGS AMERICAN DISPENSATORY, 1898, states this about the yellow powder - lupulin -
“"The glandular powder separated from the strobiles of Humulus Lupulus, Linné (Nat. Ord.—Urticaceae)"—(U. S. P.).
Preparation.—
On beating or rubbing the strobiles of hops, and then sifting them, a glandular powder is separated, and is known in medicine as Lupulin. The sifting is necessary to remove the broken bracts and other vegetable. parts. About 10 per cent of lupulin is thus obtained from the dried hops.
Description.—
"Bright brownish-yellow, becoming, yellowish-brown, resinous, consisting of minute granules, which, as seen under the microscope, are subglobular, or rather hood-shaped, and reticulate; aromatic and bitter. When lupulin is agitated with water and the mixture allowed to stand, no considerable sediment (sand, etc.) should be deposited. When ignited, lupulin should not leave more than 10 per cent of ash"—(U. S. P.). Lupulin is of a cellular texture and somewhat transparent. The common center around which the cells are arranged, is called the hilum. Lupulin has the odor and taste common to the hop; a gentle heat renders it tenacious; exposed to flame it burns. Owing to the presence of the oil, lupulin, in quantities, is liable to spontaneous combustion (see record of such combustion on board a vessel lying in the Bremen harbor, in Amer. Jour. Pharm., 1893, p. 555). Unless carefully dried it soon loses its properties, which, indeed, under all circumstances are impaired by keeping. It is always preferable to the hop for medicinal purposes. The constituents of lupulin are essentially those described under Humulus (hops).
Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage.—
(See Humulus also.) Lupulin, or its tincture, is used in delirium tremens, and wakefulness in connection with nervous irritation, anxiety, or exhaustion; it does not disorder the stomach nor cause constipation, as with opium. Also useful in after-pains, to suppress venereal desires, and allay the pain attendant on gonorrhoea.
Lupulin has been found especially useful in cases of genito-urinary irritations, irritation of the bladder, as well as in those irritable conditions of the brain and genital organs, so often accompanying nocturnal emissions; it allays the irritation, promotes sleep, and cheeks the emissions, in quite a number of cases; it has also been advised as an efficient remedy in chordee. In these instances it requires to be given in quite large doses, double or triple the ordinary ones. The ethereal tincture of lupulin forms what was formerly termed the ethereal oil of lupulin (see Oleoresina Lupulini) by allowing the ether to spontaneously evaporate. It produces at first a stimulant influence, succeded by a very agreeable, calming sensation, and has been used with advantage in some cases of nervous irritability where opium and other narcotics failed. It does not, however, appear to possess any narcotic properties. A mixture of oil of chamomile, 1 fluid drachm, and ethereal oil of lupulin, 1 1/2 fluid drachm, dissolved in sulphuric ether, half a fluid ounce, in doses of from 30 to 60 drops, every 3 or 4 hours, has been found beneficial in dysmenorrhoea, and other painful uterine diseases. Mr. Duckworth advises as a very remarkable hypnotic, a preparation composed of lupulin, 1 ounce, aromatic spirit of ammonia, half a pint; mix, let them macerate for 7 days, with agitation from time to time, filter, and add more fluid to procure half a pint. The dose is from 15 minims to 1 fluid drachm. The dose of lupulin is from 6 to 10 grains, which may be given in powder, or in pill made by merely rubbing it in a warm mortar till it acquires a pilular consistence. The tincture of lupulin may be given in doses of from 1 to 4 fluid drachms. Tincture of lupulin, as well as tincture of hop, may be used in dyspepsia, with marked restlessness, and disposition to brood over trouble. Use it also when fermentation and eructations occur after meals. Insomnia, due to worry or neurasthenia, is relieved by lupulin. The odor of lupulin, like that of hop, will cause in susceptible individuals a distressing sick headache, accompanied with extreme and prostrating nausea; on the other hand both lupulin and hop have been employed to relieve various forms of headache, chiefly in debilitated subjects, with cerebral hyperemia.
Specific Indications and Uses.—
Nervousness, irritability, disposition to brood over trouble, delirium, insomnia, cerebral hyperemia; fermentative dyspepsia, with acid eructations; genital and mental irritability associated with spermatorrhoea.
Those old Eclectic Doctors sure knew how to talk about a plant medicine! While some of the things they talk about in this Dispensatory are beyond our scope, it gives you an immense picture of its use ... once upon a time.
What I like about hops as a medicine plant is that is has five basic effects on the human body: sedative, bitter tonic, antispasmodic, anodyne (pain medicine), and antibiotic. This makes it extremely useful in many different conditions.
Hops (fresh flower extract) contains very strong sedative properties, making it useful for insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, digestive insomnia, night sweats, night terrors, and for people who can not get out of their own head and just go to sleep. Works extremely well for people who eat late into the evening, and as a result get insomnia from indigestion. So perfect for this!
The extract or tea (very bitter for most people) can help relieve toothaches and minor body pains, from arthritis to sciatica, especially when they interfere with sleep.
Hops are a safe sedative for children, relaxing muscle tension, spasms, and the general cranky restlessness that is associated with coming down with a cold or flu like illness.
Hops is a great bitter digestive stimulant, and is useful in promoting better overall digestion, decreasing cramps, spasms, and nervous dysentery. Hops can be the perfect remedy to help one redefine stomach function, especially after a bacterial infection in the upper or lower GI, especially in SIBO. In fact, Hops, might be one of the finest remedies, for SIBO that I know of. I will often combine an extract of Hops and Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica) together, for what I consider to be an effective approach to SIBO.
Hops is also useful in lessening the pain of menstrual cramps, or the lingering urethral ache of a bout of interstitial cystitis or even decreasing the agony of the passing of kidney or gall bladder stones.
In fact, if your constitution is one the leads to gall bladder stagnation, you might find that using Hops, improves overall digestive health to the point, that you might never experience a problem with gall bladder stones in the first place.
WebMD, has this to say about Hops - “Hops is used for anxiety, inability to sleep (insomnia) and other sleep disorders, restlessness, tension, excitability, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), nervousness, and irritability. It is also used to improve appetite, increase urine flow, start the flow of breast milk, as a bitter tonic, and for indigestion. Other uses include prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, high cholesterol, tuberculosis, bladder infections, intestinal cramps, an intestinal disorder called mucous colitis, nerve pain, and prolonged painful erection of the penis (priapism).Hops is sometimes applied to the skin for leg ulcers and as an antibacterial agent.”
Hops has little to no side effects, and is very safe for most people, including children. Hops might cause too much sleepiness when combined with anesthesia, so stop using 2 weeks before any scheduled surgery. Some sources suggest that if you have severe clinical depression you should avoid using Hops.
My favorite way to use this plant medicine, is as a fresh strobile/flower extract.
Especially when the lupulin (yellow powder) is abundant. This makes for the most bitter and sedative medicine around.
Dry flower extract and leaf with flowers for tea is ok, but not as effective as fresh flower extract. Good and strong for most people though!
The dry leaf to use in salves and first aid oils is a wonderful ingredient for its antibacterial and wound healing abilities.
A real fine medicine plant overall !!!