Obstetrics Abortifacients

Pennyroyal Wikipedia

This article is for the herb pennyroyal. See Pennyroyal Tea for the Nirvana song.

Taxobox begin | color = lightgreen | name = Pennyroyal
Taxobox image | image = Image:Mentha pulegium.jpg|200px | caption =
Taxobox begin placement | color = lightgreen
Taxobox regnum entry | taxon = Plantae
Taxobox divisio entry | taxon = flowering plant|Magnoliophyta
Taxobox classis entry | taxon = dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida
Taxobox ordo entry | taxon = Lamiales
Taxobox familia entry | taxon = Lamiaceae
Taxobox genus entry | taxon = Mentha
Taxobox species entry | taxon = M. pulegium
Taxobox end placement
Taxobox section binomial botany | color = lightgreen | binomial_name = Mentha pulegium | author = Carolus Linnaeus|L.
Taxobox end
The herb Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, family Lamiaceae), is a member of the mint genus; an essential oil extracted from it is used in aromatherapy. Pennyroyal has a traditional folk medicine use in inducing abortions and is an abortifacient. These oils are high in pulegone, a highly toxic volatile, which can stimulate uterine activity.

Pennyroyal tea has been traditionally employed as an emmenagogue to promote menstrual flow, and as an abortifacient to initiate self-abortion. Pennyroyal tea may safely stimulate mild increase in menstrual flow, but the oil are very different. When employed to induce abortion the effects of Pennyroyal oil are extremely dangerous and can be lethal. In one case, despite immediate emergency hospital treatment, a pregnant woman died within hours of consuming just two tablespoonfuls (20 ml) of Pennyroyal oil in an attempt to initiate self-abortion.

The oil is also used as a flea repellant for pets. This latter usage is the origin of the plant's Latin species name, the flea being Pulex irritans. However the distantly related American Pennyroyal or Hedeoma pulegioides is the source of much of what is called pennyroyal oil.

The term Pennyroyal (or Pennyrile, from a dialectical pronunciation) is also used to describe a geographic province of western Kentucky where the above-described herb grew in profusion sufficient to lend its name to the whole area.

Last Modified:   2005-12-23