Hops - humulus lupulus

Hops come from the Cannabaceae plant family and are related to Hemp.  You may be familiar with Hops as an ingredient in beer, but did you know they are used as an herb and to make Hops Essential Oil?  Let's discuss a few of the therapeutic properties of Hops Essential Oil.

The oil I currently have consists of approximately 66% beta-myrcene, 14% alpha-humulene, and 5% beta-caryophyllene.  All three of these components are strongly analgesic and anti-inflammatory, which makes this a great oil to use in blends to help relieve pain, swelling, and muscle spasms.   According to Aromatics International, studies are now comparing Hops EO and CBD oil to find out if the essential oil is as efficacious as CBD oil.

In diffuser blends it can be used at night to help promote natural sleep as it has sedative and calming properties.  Its antiviral benefits make it a good choice to put in a blend for diffusion during cold and flu season.

It's interesting to note that, while the above constituents do make up the majority of Hops EO, the quantity of each may differ significantly.  R. Tisserand's book, Essential Oil Safety​ lists the alpha-humulene at about 38% and the beta-myrcene at 25%.  This becomes important if you're blending based on chemistry, and the only way to know the exact amount of each constituent is to get a GC/MS Report.



Hops essential oil can be difficult to find (my current oil comes from Aromatics International) but it is an oil well worth keeping in stock because of its high level of alpha-humulene (the highest I've seen).