Hop

Common Name: Hop, hops, beer flower, northern vine, bine, willow wolf

Family: Cannabaceae

Chinese Medicine Name: Pi Jiu Hua

Ayurvedic Name: N/A

Parts Used: Strobiles, pollen

Native To: Eurasia and North America

Geographic Distribution: Hop plants grow in temperate zones throughout the world, including North and South America, South Africa, and Australia. Initially cultivated in the 8th century in Central Europe, hops are now grown in garden plots and fields in climates between 30 to 50 degrees latitude, on both sides of the equator.

Botanical Description: A vigorous perennial with stout, prickly stems, the hop plant can grow up to 30 feet high. Its leaves are heart-shaped, dark green, and finely toothed, arranged oppositely. Hop is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants. The female flowers, known as strobiles, are cone-shaped, up to an inch long, and emit a strong, aromatic fragrance. They feature overlapping yellow-green bracts and contain small fruits dusted with yellow glands that release a golden resin. The male flowers grow in panicles, which are 3 to 5 inches long.

Key Constituents: Bitter resins, flavonoid antioxidants, lupulone, humulene

Sustainability Issues: No known sustainability issues

Harvesting Guidelines: Hop strobiles are typically harvested in late summer, when they have become aromatic, sticky, and just beginning to open. To check ripeness, gently squeeze the cones—if they release resin, they are ready for harvest. Cones ripen at different times on various parts of the plant, so it is essential to collect from different areas. After harvesting, the strobiles should be dried on racks at 80-100°F, maintaining their green color while ensuring the stems break easily when handled.

Uses

Hop is a fast-growing plant that thrives in rich, deep soils, usually in damp woodland and forest hedgerows. Its vines (called bines) can grow up to a foot per day, and over a single growing season, they can stretch more than 300 feet. Despite this vigorous growth, hops generally do not produce fruit until their third season. The plant’s name originates from the Latin lupulus (meaning wolf), as early Romans mistakenly believed it strangled the plants it climbed, akin to a wolf strangling its prey. The word hoppan, meaning “to climb,” also influenced the common name.

Historically, hops were used both as food and for industrial purposes. Ancient Romans referred to hops as a garden vegetable, similar in use to asparagus, and the tender young shoots were often included in soups and omelets. Hops were also used to make durable cloth, paper, and brown dye. In the 8th century, hops began to be cultivated in France and Germany, though its medicinal value was overshadowed by its role as a beer flavoring and preservative. In fact, in the 12th century, German herbalist Hildegard von Bingen dismissed hops as having little worth beyond preserving beverages.

Throughout much of Europe, hops were seen primarily as a key ingredient in beer-making. However, King Henry VIII of England banned hops, fearing it would disrupt the traditional ale-making process that involved herbs like ground ivy, bog myrtle, yarrow, and sage. Despite this, hops eventually gained popularity in England, and by the 19th century, their medicinal uses were being recognized once more. King George III, suffering from insomnia, reportedly found relief from sleeping on a pillow stuffed with hop strobiles, contributing to the resurgence of hops as a medicinal herb.

In North America, Indigenous tribes such as the Cherokee, Delaware, Navajo, and Dakota utilized hops for a variety of medicinal purposes, including treating insomnia, rheumatic pain, earaches, and gastrointestinal issues. Hops were also employed in folk medicine for ailments like jaundice, fevers, and menstrual disorders.

Modern Applications and Research: Today, hops are most commonly used for their sedative properties. The plant contains a golden resin known as lupulin, which is believed to induce sleep and calm the nervous system. French pharmacist Planche isolated lupulin in 1813, and its efficacy in soothing nerves and aiding sleep was further confirmed by doctors in the 19th century. However, much of the early evidence for hops’ sedative effects was anecdotal, and studies on its pharmacodynamics are still limited.

Hops are also utilized for their anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits. They stimulate the flow of urine, which aids in gallbladder function and liver toning. In modern times, hops have been studied for their potential anti-cancer properties, although more research is needed to confirm these benefits.

Interestingly, hops have been linked to estrogenic activity, especially due to reports of menstrual disturbances among hop pickers. In 1953, scientists discovered that hops contain an estrogenic compound called 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN). This finding has led to the development of hop extracts enriched with 8-PN, which have shown promise in alleviating menopausal symptoms. However, research on the safety and efficacy of 8-PN-enriched hops is still in its early stages, and there are no established guidelines for its use in medicinal products.

Safety: Hops should be used cautiously by pregnant women and prepubescent children due to their estrogenic properties. Individuals with depression should avoid hops, as they may worsen symptoms. The plant may also enhance the sedative effects of pharmaceutical drugs, and fresh hops may cause allergic reactions or skin irritation in some individuals. Contact with the tiny hairs on hop bines can also irritate the eyes.

Traditional and Folk Uses: Folk medicine has long utilized hops as a remedy for a variety of conditions. As a sedative, hops were used to treat insomnia, anxiety, and nervous disorders. It was also applied as a poultice for headaches, fevers, and afterbirth pains. Additionally, hop strobiles were used to treat gastrointestinal issues, soothe irritated bladders, and heal wounds. In some cases, hops were infused into hair rinses to combat baldness.

Dosage and Usage:

• Infusion: 5g of hops can be taken 2-4 times a day.
• Tincture: 1-2 mL of a 1:5 tincture in 60% alcohol, taken three times a day.
• Liquid Extract: 0.5-2mL of a 1:1 extract in 45% alcohol, up to three times a day.

Ways to Use: Capsules, essential oils, infusions, teas, tinctures

Actions

• Anodyne
• Antispasmodic
• Aromatic
• Bitter
• Carminative
• Cholagogue
• Diuretic
• Febrifuge
• Nervine
• Parasiticide
• Sedative
• Soporific
• Stomachic

Taste: Bitter

Energy: Drying