Humulus lupulus. 酒 花 Jiǔ huā  Hops  Family: Cannabinaceae                   
PART USED: Strobiles or catkins
Nature- Slightly cool FLAVOR: Bitter
FUNCTIONS
1. Stomach tonic. Digestive tonic.[1]
2. Diuretic.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Indigestion, abdominal swelling.[1]
2. Edema, cystitis.[1]
3. Pulmonary tuberculosis.[1]
4. Insomnia.[1]
PREPARATIONS
    
- Neurasthenia, sinsomnia and decreased appetite- Use 4 g hops to make tea every day.[1]
- Early stage of pulmonary tuberculosis and low fever in the afternoon- Boil 15 g hops in 2 glasses water over low heat until water is reduced by half and drink once a day.[1]
ORIGIN: Europe, parts of Asia and North America. Extensively cultivated.
DESCRIPTION: The female flower or strobile is yellowish-green, cone-like, about 2.5-3 cm long and 2-2.5 cm broad, formed from two membranous scales, one of which bears the small seed-like fruit at the base. It is scatttered with shining yellow glands; these can be separated by sifting and are then known as lupulin.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents.
Research.
The sedative and tranquillizing activity is well established in a variety of animal tests-[1,2] thought to be mainly due to the 2-methylbut-3-ene-2-ol. This substance, which is present in fresh extract, has been found to be absent from many commercial preparations; however these preparations are still efficaceous and it is though that the compound may be formed in the body from the a-bitter acids.[2,3]
An extract of hops was found to be strongly spasmolytic on isolated smooth muscle preparations.[5]
References
[1] Bravo, L. et al. (1974) Boll. Chim. Farm. 306
[2] Hansel, R. et al. (1982) Planta Med. 45 (4), 224
[3] Wohlfart, R. (1983) Deutsche Apoth. Ztg. 123, 1637
[4] Schmalreck, A. F. et al. (1975) Can. J. Microbiol. 21, 205
[5] Caujolle, F. et al. (1969) Agressologie 10, 405

The sedative effects of hops (Humulus lupulus), a component of beer, on the activity/rest rhythm. Franco L1, Sánchez C, Bravo R, Rodriguez A, Barriga C, Juánez JC. Acta Physiol Hung. 2012 Jun;99(2):133-9. doi: 10.1556/APhysiol.99.2012.2.6.
Abstract- The hop (Humulus lupulus), a component of beer, is a sedative plant whose pharmacological activity is due principally to its bitter resins, especially to the a-acid component 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol. The mechanism of action of the resin of hop consists of increasing the activity of the neurotransmitter a-aminobutyric (GABA), inhibiting the central nervous system (CNS).
Results- The concentration of 2 mg of hop extract effectively decreased nocturnal activity in the circadian activity rhythm. On the basis of this investigation, administration of non-alcoholic beer would be recommended due to its hop content and consequent sedative action, which would be an aid to nocturnal sleep. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identification of a potent phytoestrogen in hops (Humulus lupulus L.) and beer.
Milligan SR, Kalita JC, Heyerick A, Rong H, De Cooman L, De Keukeleire D.
Abstract
The female flowers of the hop plant are used as a preservative and as a flavoring agent in beer. However, a recurring suggestion has been that hops have a powerful estrogenic activity and that beer may also be estrogenic. In this study, sensitive and specific in vitro bioassays for estrogens were used for an activity-guided fractionation of hops via selective solvent extraction and appropriate HPLC separation. We have identified a potent phytoestrogen in hops, 8-prenylnaringenin, which has an activity greater than other established plant estrogens. The estrogenic activity of this compound was reflected in its relative binding affinity to estrogen receptors from rat uteri. The presence of 8-prenylnaringenin in hops may provide an explanation for the accounts of menstrual disturbances in female hop workers. This phytoestrogen can also be detected in beer, but the levels are low and should not pose any cause for concern.
PMID: 10372741 DOI: 10.1210/jcem.84.6.5887  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999 Jun;84(6):2249-52. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Biological and chemical standardization of a hop (Humulus lupulus) botanical dietary supplement.
Krause E, Yuan Y, Hajirahimkhan A, Dong H, Dietz BM, Nikolic D, Pauli GF, Bolton JL, van Breemen RB.
Abstract
Concerned about the safety of conventional estrogen replacement therapy, women are using botanical dietary supplements as alternatives for the management of menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes. Before botanical dietary supplements can be evaluated clinically for safety and efficacy, botanically authenticated and standardized forms are required. To address the demand for a standardized, estrogenic botanical dietary supplement, an extract of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) was developed. Although valued in the brewing of beer, hop extracts are used as anxiolytics and hypnotics and have well-established estrogenic constituents. Starting with a hop cultivar used in the brewing industry, spent hops (the residue remaining after extraction of bitter acids) were formulated into a botanical dietary supplement that was then chemically and biologically standardized. Biological standardization utilized the estrogen-dependent induction of alkaline phosphatase in the Ishikawa cell line. Chemical standardization was based on the prenylated phenols in hops that included estrogenic 8-prenylnaringenin, its isomer 6-prenylnaringenin, and pro-estrogenic isoxanthohumol and its isomeric chalcone xanthohumol, all of which were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The product of this process was a reproducible botanical extract suitable for subsequent investigations of safety and efficacy.
PMID: 24861737 PMCID: PMC4240625 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.3177   Biomed Chromatogr. 2014 Jun;28(6):729-34. doi: 10.1002/bmc.3177. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov