Lamiaceae
Hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis
⚠ Use with Caution
Avoid in Pregnancy
Native to: Southern Europe, Middle East
Also known as: Common Hyssop, Garden Hyssop, Ysop
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Parts Used
LeafFlower
Therapeutic Uses
Bronchitis, productive cough, asthma, cold and flu, digestive complaints, anxiety. Traditional Mediterranean herb for respiratory conditions. Antiviral activity against herpes simplex.
Herbal Actions
Expectorant, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, antimicrobial, antiviral, nervine
Active Constituents
Volatile oil (pinocamphone, isopinocamphone, β-pinene, camphene), flavonoids (diosmin, hesperidin, hyssopine), tannins, bitter principle (marrubiin traces)
Preparation Methods
☕ Herbal Tea🏺 Tincture⚗️ Essential Oil
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | 1–2 tsp dried herb per 250ml, steep 10 min covered, 3x daily |
| Tincture | 2–4 ml (1:5, 45% ethanol), 3x daily |
| Notes | Essential oil contains pinocamphone — potentially neurotoxic at high doses. Use whole herb or diluted essential oil (1%) only. Excellent combined with thyme and elecampane for chronic bronchitis. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
⚠ Use with Caution
Pregnancy
Avoid in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
None known
Contraindications: Avoid in pregnancy (emmenagogue). Avoid with seizure disorders (pinocamphone). Essential oil internally toxic at high doses. Therapeutic herb doses generally safe.
Side Effects: Essential oil overdose: convulsions. Herb tea: very safe. GI irritation at high doses.