Pennyroyal

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using pennyroyal and call your healthcare provider at once if you have:

• seizures;

• vision or hearing problems; or

• breathing difficulty.

Common side effects may include:

• stomach pain, nausea, vomiting;

• burning of the throat; or

• fever.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Pennyroyal has been used as an insect repellent, antiseptic, fragrance, flavoring, as an emmenagogue, carminative, stimulant, antispasmodic and for bowel disorders, skin eruptions and pneumonia.

Documented adverse effects. Avoid use. Abortifacient, hepatotoxic, and neurotoxic.

None well documented.

In large portions, pennyroyal can cause abortion, irreversible renal damage, severe liver damage and death. A small amount of oil can produce delirium, unconsciousness, shock, seizures and auditory and visual hallucinations.

Both plants are members of the mint family and both are referred to as pennyroyal. H. pulegioides (American pennyroyal) grows in woods through most of the northern and eastern United States and Canada while M. pulegium is found in parts of Europe. Pennyroyal is a perennial, creeping herb that possesses small, lilac flowers at the stem ends. It can grow to be 30 to 50 cm in height. The leaves are grayish green and, like other mint family members, are very aromatic. 1 , 2

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