Nutritional Supplement

Hyssop

How to Use It

Hyssop may be taken as a tea or tincture. The tea is prepared by infusing 2–3 teaspoons of herb in one cup (250 ml) of hot water for ten to fifteen minutes. Three cups can be drunk per day. Alternatively, 1–4 ml of tincture can be taken three times per day.8 If hyssop is being used to help soothe a sore throat, gargle with the tea or tincture before swallowing. The essential oil should never be used at a level higher than 1–2 drops per day internally, though more can be used topically on unbroken skin. One teaspoon (5 grams) of hyssop herb steeped in 1 cup (250 ml) hot water in a closed vessel for 15–20 minutes, then given in sips from a bottle over a period of 2–3 hours, may help calm colic.

References

1. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C (eds). PDR for Herbal Medicines. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics, 2000, 414-5.

2. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 338-9.

3. Gollapudi S, Sharma HA, Aggarwal S, et al. Isolation of a previously unidentified polysaccharide (MAR-10) from Hyssop officinalis that exhibits strong activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1995;210:145-51.

4. Kreis W, Kaplan MH, Freeman J, et al. Inhibition of HIV replication by Hyssop officinalis extracts. Antiviral Res 1990;14:323-37.

5. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 222-4.

6. Castleman M. The Healing Herbs. New York: Bantam, 1991, 323-7.

7. Weiss RF. Herbal Medicine. Gothenburg, Sweden: Ab Arcanum and Beaconsfield, UK: Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd, 1985, 206.

8. Hoffmann D. The New Holistic Herbal. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1990, 207.

9. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 338-9.

10. Tisserand R, Balacs T. Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1995, 67.

11. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A (eds). American Herbal Product Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1997, 63.

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The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.