ANISE HYSSOP, Agastache foeniculum

Latin name: Agastache foeniculum

Part used: flowering tops

Origin: Québec, Canada

Properties: analgesic, antiallergic, antipruritic, carminative, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antirheumatic, calming, anxiolytic

Indications: allergies, spastic colitis, indigestion, gastritis, gastroenteritis, hepatitis A, B, and C, lumbago, bronchiolitis, headaches, motion sickness, migraines, nausea, stress, premenstrual syndrome, cough, ulcers, vomiting.

Contraindications: none at physiological doses.

DESCRIPTION

Anise hyssop is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the same family as mint, the Lamiaceae. Native to Canada and the northern United States, it spread throughout northern Europe after European beekeepers imported it, having noticed that bees were particularly fond of its abundant flower spikes with their anise-like and floral scent. Known by other names such as “anise hyssop,” “licorice mint,” or “tall blue hyssop,” it is considered a sacred plant by Native Americans. They have long been aware of its medicinal properties, using it in infusions for digestive disorders or in the preparation of remedies and poultices.

Its essential oil yield during distillation is very low—about 3% or less—which explains its relatively high cost. Its flowering tops yield an essential oil highly concentrated in methylchavicol (estragol) (80–93%), unlike its leaves (18–30%).

Anise hyssop essential oil has numerous therapeutic properties. In particular, it is carminative, anti-nausea, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic (coughs, menstrual cramps, diarrhea), analgesic, anti-allergic (seasonal allergies), antipruritic, antifungal, and specifically anti-infective (kidney disorders). It also reduces fever, promotes sweating, alleviates anxiety, and relaxes the central nervous system.