Hyssopus officinalis L. (Lamiaceae)

Abstract

The plant grows in central Europe and the Middle East, and is cultivated as an aromatic herb and medicinal plant in the Mediterranean countries (except southeast), Russia, Black Sea, and Caucasus. In Central Europe, the herb is used as a spice. Hyssop, a cleansing herb, relieves catarrh and reduces mucus secretion, regulates BP (high or low), clears the chest and calms the nerves. As it promotes sweating, this herb is useful when coping with fevered patients. It also improves digestion and protects body from infection. Muslim physicians in India considered it stimulant, anthelmintic and deobstruent. Dioscorides described dry hyssop as useful for swelling, exterminating worms and for chest troubles, and used moist hyssop for swelling in the womb and in the liver. In central Europe, including Hungary, the essential oil is used as a folk remedy against certain respiratory diseases. In Romania, it is used to flavor food, and in traditional medicine as stomachic, antispasmodic, antifungal, and for cough treatment. In Uygur medicine also, it is used to relieve cough and asthma, and in Lebanon, as an antidiabetic herb. Major flavone, diosmin, is mainly located in sepals and leaves; flavonoid glycosides were reported from samples cultivated in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. β-pinene, limonene, pinocamphone, isopinocamphone are the main components of the essential oil. Treatment with water extract normalized eosinophil ratio in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and levels of serum IgE and IgG in ovalbumin sensitized and challenged model of chronic asthma in mice, ameliorated pathological changes, including collagen deposition, mucus secretion, and smooth muscle proliferation, and prevented lung remodeling. Oral preadministration of hyssop extract significantly suppressed sucrose- and maltose-loaded-hyperglycemia in mice, and in vitro inhibited intestinal α-glucosidase activity.