Common Hop - Humulus lupulus

Common Names: Common Hop, Hops, Hop, Humulus lupulus, Lupulus, European Hop, Beer Hops, Green Gold, Humulus

Latin Name: Humulus lupulus

Origin: Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, North America

Short Introduction

To cultivate hops at home or in a garden, allocate plenty of space. For climbing growth, provide natural supports such as a wall, fence, or trellis. Hops tolerate various soils but require ample sunlight. In optimal conditions, the bines of Common Hop can grow several meters in a single growing season. Sow seeds from March to May, spacing them about 40 cm apart, as it is a dense and sturdy plant. Young shoots germinate in a matter of days and can grow at an astonishing rate under ideal conditions.

Detailed Description

Green gold or the Czech national treasure—Common Hop is all this and more!

Botanical Information

Common Hop is a perennial climbing herbaceous plant, reaching up to 10 meters in length and living up to 25 years. The plant features a robust rhizome with numerous underground shoots, from which square, right-twining stems emerge. The stem has a rough, hairy surface. The hop leaves are palmately lobed, serrated, large (up to 20 cm wide), stalked, opposite in the middle of the stem and smaller and alternate above, dark green on top and lighter underneath, with up to seven lobes. The small, green flowers appear in May and June. Male plants bear flowers in panicle-like inflorescences, while female flowers develop into dense clusters (cones), later maturing into the well-known oval, greenish-yellow hop cones (strobiles) composed of large bracts.

Origin and Distribution

The native range of Common Hop is the temperate zone of Europe and Asia, which is why wild varieties can still be found in the Czech Republic. Through cultivation and human influence, hops have been introduced and are now grown in North and South America (especially Chile), Australia, and beyond. The largest producers of hops include the Czech Republic, USA, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and others. Hops love moisture. In the Czech Republic, wild Common Hop grows at forest edges, fields, along streams, rivers, and near water bodies, often covering trees, shrubs, or other vegetation.

Usage / Dosage

Common Hop is an ancient cultivated herb closely tied to human culture. Ancient and medieval sources mention consuming hop shoots with salt and pepper. The earliest definitive record of hop cultivation dates to 768 in a document from the Frankish King Pepin III. The first mention of hops in the Czech lands comes from 859, with cultivation intensifying under Charles IV. Hop production was devastated during the Thirty Years’ War and restored in the 18th century.

Common Hop is used daily in the food industry. Hop cones or their extract, valued for unique aroma and flavor, are a cornerstone of beer brewing. Because pollination of female plants diminishes quality, male hop plants are excluded from hop gardens. The Czech varieties, especially those from Žatec (Saaz), the Elbe region, and the Haná, are among the highest quality globally and are sometimes referred to as green gold.

The first pharmaceutical use of hops was described in 1813 by Parisian pharmacist Planche, who used lupulin from hops cones as a sedative. Since then, pharmacopoeias have referenced Strobili lupuli and Glandulae lupuli. In the 19th century, hop extracts gained popularity in the cosmetic industry for use in shampoos and other cleansing or moisturizing products.

Flavonoids in Common Hop show interesting biological activity even after biotransformation—including partial antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. These flavonoids display a proven strong antioxidant effect that can suppress certain inflammation markers. Several tests have confirmed the ability of hop components to neutralize free radicals and therefore provide antioxidant protection.

Xanthohumol in hops is converted by gut bacteria into the phytoestrogen prenylnaringenin, which can bind to human estrogen receptors. Through this mechanism, hops may have partial anticancer effects. Hop chalcones are also being studied for their chemoprotective properties. The estrogenic action underlies possible positive effects on relieving some menopausal symptoms. For example, after six weeks of hop supplementation, menopausal women experienced improvement in the severity of hot flashes.

Hop extract, at the proper concentration, exhibits antimicrobial effects especially on skin pathogens, used both topically and as a natural deodorant. It has been shown to disrupt bacterial cell structure and inhibit foreign biofilm activity.

Bitter compounds in hops stimulate bile production, which supports the digestion of heavy or fatty foods. Several studies confirmed a partial antispasmodic effect of hop compounds on the digestive tract, and bitters may also bind to cholesterol in food and the bloodstream to reduce its levels. In-vivo studies have affirmed the cholesterol-lowering effect of specific hop constituents.

Bitters (chemically, alpha acids) found in hops can reduce nighttime activity, which supports healthy sleep. Both in-vivo and in-vitro research highlight the benefits of hops for depression and insomnia. Clinical trials noted that a combination of hops and valerian root shortened the time to fall asleep. Hop extract improved sleep quality over two weeks’ use, though extended treatment brought no added benefit. Hop constituents have calming effects, lessen anxiety or depressive states, and support normal nervous system function.

Homeopathy

In homeopathy, Humulus lupulus is used as a diuretic and an anaphrodisiac (to subdue sexual desire).

Traditional Medicine

Folk medicine recommends Common Hop as a sedative, a tonic to stimulate appetite, and as an amarum in cases of loss of appetite. Herbalists use hops to supplement B vitamins, for diuretic effects, insomnia, and muscle cramps. Hops or hop extract are often administered to improve appetite and support digestion. Contemporary naturopaths suggest hops as a universal remedy to support treatment of prostate, ovarian, and breast cancer. There is also anecdotal evidence that hops help with high cholesterol, stomach cramps, bladder inflammation, and more.

Active Compounds

Female inflorescences (cones) contain the largest amount of biologically active substances—mainly bitters (humulone, lupulone, lupulin), terpenoids (myrcene, humulene, caryophyllene, farnesene, and more), alpha acids (cohumulone, humulone, valerianic acid), beta acids (lupulone, colupulone, adlupulone), tannins, phenolic acids, flavonoids (rutin, astralagin, quercetin), fatty acids, amino acids, choline, asparagine, resins, and essential oils (composed mostly of sesquiterpenes and substances related to humulene).

Traditional Dosage

Dried hop cones are generally dosed at 2 teaspoons (1.5–2 grams) poured over with 250 ml hot water and steeped for about 15 minutes. This infusion/tea, with a mildly bitter and slightly astringent taste, is consumed once or twice daily. For extract, a dose of 60 mg alone or in combination with other herbs is generally recommended. Tinctures made from cones are dosed at about 20 drops three times daily for anxiety or 10 drops in water up to five times daily for digestive problems.

Warning: Not recommended during pregnancy, when breastfeeding, or for young children.