Hops and Health

Since the Middle Ages, hops have been used for medicinal
purposes. In particular, the plant has become known for
its sedative and sleep-promoting action, its usefulness against
infl ammation, and for treating female aliments or gastro-intestinal
complaints. Its high anti-bacterial properties led to the plant being
used as a preservative in beer brewing and eventually as the only
permitted flavouring agent in beer as of the "Reinheitsgebot"
(the German Purity Law) coming into effect in 1516. In recent
years, interest in hops as a medicinal plant has grown considerably.
The main focus has been on research into xanthohumol, a hop
component with potential cancer preventive activities. Other
studies confirm the effectiveness of hops in the fight against
osteoporosis, inflammation, or as a natural antibiotic.

This book is the first to give an overview of the remarkable
potential of hops as a medicinal plant. It covers more than
1000 years of medicinal applications of hops, with a focus on
those that are still of interest. Current research results about the
effectiveness of various hop components are clearly explained.
Chapters about hops in beer, growing and processing of hop
plants, together with an extensive bibliography containing
references to other publications, round off this book