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Lamiaceae
General information
The genera in the family of Lamiaceae ( Table 1 ) include basil, catnip, germander, lavender, mints, origanum, rosemary, sage, skullcap, and thyme.
Table 1
Genera of Lamiaceae
| Acanthomintha (thorn mint) Acinos (acinos) Agastach (giant hyssop) Ajuga (bugle) Ballota (horehound) Blephilia (pagoda plant) Brazoria (brazos mint) Calamintha (calamint) Cedronella (cedronella) Chaiturus (lion’s tail) Clinopodium (clinopodium) Coleus (coleus) Collinsonia (horsebalm) Conradina (false rosemary) Cunila (cunila) Dicerandra (balm) Dracocephalum (dragonhead) Elsholtzia (elsholtzia) Erythrochlamys (erythrochlamys) Galeopsis (hemp nettle) Glechoma (glechoma) Haplostachys (haplostachys) Hedeoma (false pennyroyal) Hyptis (bushmint) Hyssopus (hyssop) Isanthus (fluxweed) |
Lallemantia (lallemantia) Lamiastrum (lamiastrum) Lamium (dead nettle) Lavandula (lavender) Leonotis (lion’s ear) Leonurus (motherwort) Lepechinia (pitchersage) Leucas (leucas) Lycopus (waterhorehound) Macbridea (macridea) Marrubium (horehound) Marsypianthes (marsypianthes) Meehania (meehania) Melissa (balm) Mentha (mint) Moluccella (moluccella) Monarda (beebalm) Monardella (monardella) Mosla (mosla) Nepeta (catnip) Ocimum (basil) Origanum (origanum) Orthosiphon (orthosiphon) Perilla (perilla) Perovskia (perovskia) Phlomis (Jerusalem sage) |
Phyllostegia (phyllostegia) Physostegia (lion’s heart) Piloblephis (piloblephis) Plectranthus (plectranthus) Pogogyne (mesamint) Pogostemon (pogostemon) Poliomintha (rosemary mint) Prunella (self heal) Pycnanthemum (mountain mint) Rhododon (sand mint) Rosmarinus (rosemary) Salazaria (bladder sage) Salvia (sage) Satureja (savory) Scutellaria (skullcap) Sideritis (ironwort) Solenostemon (solenostemon) Stachys (hedge nettle) Stachydeoma (mock pennyroyal) Stenogyne (stenogyne) Synandra (synandra) Teucrium (germander) Thymus (thyme) Trichostema (bluecurls) Warnockia (brazos mint) |
Hedeoma pulegoides and Mentha pulegium
The volatile oil of pennyroyal (prepared from Hedeoma pulegoides or Mentha pulegium ) is a folk medicine used as an abortifacient. The doses that are required for this effect can cause serious symptoms, including vomiting, seizures, hallucinations, renal damage, hepatotoxicity and shock; deaths have also occurred [ , ].
Liver
The hepatotoxicity of pulegone, the principal constituent of pennyroyal oil, has been demonstrated in animal studies and reported in humans [ ].
Two cases of serious or fatal toxicity have been described in two infants who had been treated with herbal tea containing pennyroyal oil [ ]. One infant developed fulminant liver failure with cerebral edema and necrosis; the other infant developed hepatic dysfunction and a severe epileptic encephalopathy.
Lavandula angustifolia
The volatile oil of Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) contains linrayl acetate and linalool, and lavender also contains coumarins. It has been used in aromatherapy to treat insomnia and headaches, and may have small beneficial effects [ ].
Skin
Patch tests with lavender oil from 1990 to 1998 in Japan were positive in 3.7% of cases [ ]. In five of 11 positive cases in 1997 and eight of 15 positive cases in 1998, the patients had used dried lavender flowers in pillows, drawers, cabinets, or rooms.
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A 53-year-old patient with relapsing eczema had contact allergy to various essential oils used in aromatherapy [ ]. Sensitization was due to previous exposure to lavender, jasmine, and rosewood. Laurel, eucalyptus, and pomerance also produced positive tests, without previous exposure.
Contact dermatitis has also been attributed to a lavender oil pillow [ ], and to lavender in an analgesic gel [ ].
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