Carefully dried strobiles of Humulus lupulus L., Moraceae, bearing their glandular trichomes. Habit. Europe, Asia, North America, cultivated widely. Constit. Volatile oil (0.3-1%), bitter acids incl. lupulone, humulone; flavonoids incl. xanthohumol; ferulic, caffeic and chlorogenic acids; tannins, resins. Review of chemistry and constituents: R. Stevens, Chem. Rev. 67, 19-71 (1967); of botany, chemistry and use in beer brewing: M. Moir, J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. 58, 131-146 (2000); of medicinal uses: J. Barnes et al., Herbal Medicines (Pharmaceutical Press, London, 2nd Ed., 2002) pp 290-292.
Constit. Complex mixture of more than 100 terpenoid components, primarily humulene, β-caryophyllene, farnescene.
Sedative.