The drug allays pain and promotes sleep. It is of especial use and benefit to those suffering from nervous overstrain, as it possesses none of the after-effects produced by narcotics. Hops are used in infusions, decoctions, brews and smokes. The Commission E approved the internal use of hops for mood disturbances such as restlessness and anxiety as well as sleep disturbances. The British Herbal Compendium indicated its use for excitability, restlessness, disorders of sleep, and lack of appetite, as does the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy and the German Standard License.
Hops are high in the bitter principles humulone and lupulone.
These are thought to be responsible for the appetite-stimulating properties of hops. Hops have been shown to have mild sedative properties. Many herbal preparations for insomnia combine hops with other sedative herbs, such as valerian, passion flower and scullcap. Hops have tonic, nervine, diuretic and anodyne properties. Their volatile oil produces sedative and soporific effects, and the Lupamaric acid or bitter principle is stomachic and tonic.