Pennyroyal

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

Pennyroyal

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Mentha
Species:	M. pulegium

Binomial name

Mentha pulegium
L.

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 is a traditional folk medicine 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 is very different and can be used to induce abortion. However it should not be used to self-abort since complications can occur: in 1978, a pregnant woman died after consuming two tablespoonfuls (~30 ml) of Pennyroyal oil, and in 1994, another death occurred after a pregnant woman (attempting to self-abort, but with an unknown ectopic pregnancy) consumed tea containing Pennyroyal extract.[1]

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.

Sprinkling the dried form of the herb is also known to repel spiders. The oil can also be used to deter ants.

The term Pennyroyal (or Pennyrile, from a dialectal 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.