Lamiaceae
Pennyroyal
Mentha pulegium
✗ High Risk
Avoid in Pregnancy
Native to: Europe, Middle East, North Africa
Also known as: Pudding Grass, Mosquito Plant, Squaw Mint, Run-by-the-Ground
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Parts Used
Leaf
Therapeutic Uses
PRIMARILY TOPICAL — insect repellent. Historically used for delayed menstruation but DANGEROUS. Modern herbal practice avoids internal use due to hepatotoxicity from pulegone. Topical insect repellent only.
Herbal Actions
Emmenagogue (powerful), abortifacient (pulegone), insect repellent, carminative, diaphoretic
Active Constituents
Volatile oil (pulegone 60–90%, menthone, isomenthone, piperitenone oxide)
Preparation Methods
⚗️ Essential Oil🏺 Tincture
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | NOT RECOMMENDED — hepatotoxic |
| Tincture | AVOID internal use — hepatotoxic and abortifacient |
| Notes | AVOID INTERNAL USE — multiple deaths documented from pennyroyal oil as abortifacient. Pulegone causes massive hepatic necrosis. Topical diluted oil for insect repellent only (1% dilution). Safer alternatives available for all conditions. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
✗ High Risk
Pregnancy
Avoid in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
None known
Contraindications: AVOID INTERNALLY — hepatotoxic and abortifacient. Deaths documented. Even pennyroyal tea potentially dangerous.
Side Effects: Liver failure, kidney damage, pulmonary edema, seizures, death (particularly from oil). Topical: rare skin irritation.