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Glechoma hederacea
CautionGundermann · (Glechoma hederacea)
Mint family (Lamiaceae)
Description
A low, creeping groundcover with kidney-shaped, scalloped leaves and small violet snapdragon-like flowers, ground ivy spreads across meadow edges, gardens and shady spots from April to July, releasing a spicy, minty scent when crushed. The flowering herb is the part used, containing essential oil, tannins such as rosmarinic acid, and flavonoids. Folk tradition serves a tea for respiratory cold symptoms, and the fresh leaves are also used to season wild-herb salads and soups; poultices have traditional external use for minor skin irritation. The essential oil component pulegone can strain the liver at high doses, so long-term, high-dose use and the pure essential oil should be avoided. Used moderately as a tea or seasoning herb, ground ivy is considered safe.
CONTRAINDICATED during pregnancy
Due to pulegone content (potentially abortifacient and embryotoxic, comparable to pennyroyal) do not use internally during pregnancy. Culinary use in minute amounts (seasoning) is considered safe; therapeutic teas, tinctures or inhalations should be avoided.
Chronic cough, bronchial catarrh, stuck mucus (folk medicine)
Preparation & dosage
Digestive complaints, weak stomach, loss of appetite, diarrhea (traditional)
Preparation & dosage
Spring cure, blood cleansing, metabolism stimulation (traditional folk medicine)
Preparation & dosage
Poorly healing wounds, ulcers, suppurating skin lesions (external); cough support (internal, traditional)
Preparation & dosage
Common cold, sinusitis, bronchitis (folk medicine)
Preparation & dosage
Spring wild herb for pesto, soups, herbed quark, salads — mildly tonic, aromatic-spicy (traditional wild-herb cuisine)
Preparation & dosage
Skin rashes, eczema, poorly healing wounds, ulcers, boils (folk medicine)
Preparation & dosage
Ground-ivy contains the essential oil pulegone (also present in pennyroyal and catnip), which can be hepatotoxic and abortifacient in high doses. At normal use as tea or wild-herb seasoning in moderate amounts the plant is considered safe. Horses and cattle can develop signs of poisoning (salivation, dyspnea, mydriasis, paralysis) after ingesting larger amounts of fresh herb (over longer periods or in hay). Avoid long-term high-dose use; do not use the pure essential oil therapeutically.
⏱ Max continuous use: 6 weeks
Due to pulegone content (potentially abortifacient and embryotoxic, comparable to pennyroyal) do not use internally during pregnancy. Culinary use in minute amounts (seasoning) is considered safe; therapeutic teas, tinctures or inhalations should be avoided.
Insufficient safety data during lactation. Pulegone-containing plants should be avoided during breastfeeding; only culinary trace amounts.
Do not use internally in infants and toddlers (under 6 years) — children's liver is more sensitive to pulegone metabolites. Older school-age children may receive small short-term amounts (half a cup of tea, culinary), no prolonged use.
Drug interactions
Hepatotoxische Arzneimittel (Paracetamol-Hochdosis, Methotrexat, Isoniazid, Statine, Amiodaron, Valproat)
Pulegone is metabolized in the liver by CYP450 to reactive menthofuran, which can be hepatotoxic. Concurrent intake of other liver-burdening drugs creates additive toxicity risk.
CYP2E1- und CYP3A4-Induktoren (Rifampicin, Phenobarbital, Johanniskraut, chronischer Alkohol)
Accelerated metabolic activation of pulegone to reactive menthofuran → increased hepatotoxicity at higher ground-ivy doses.
Diuretika und Lithium
Ground-ivy has mild aquaretic (diuretic) action; with concurrent diuretic therapy enhanced fluid and electrolyte shifts possible; lithium levels can fluctuate due to altered renal excretion.
Eisenpräparate und mineralische Supplemente
Tannins in ground-ivy tea form poorly soluble complexes with di- and trivalent metal ions → reduced absorption of iron, calcium, zinc when taken simultaneously. Separate intake by 1-2 hours.
Contraindications
- Pregnancy; liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver); renal insufficiency; known allergy to Lamiaceae (mint family); infants and toddlers under 6 years; intended use beyond 4-6 weeks; epileptic disorders (pulegone can be convulsant at very high doses).
Harvested part: flowering herb
- Time of day:
- May to June during full bloom — highest content of essential oil and bitters. Collect on sunny dry mornings after the dew has dried.
- Drying:
- Tie loosely into small bunches and hang upside down in an airy, shaded, dry place OR spread loosely on cloths/sieves. Drying temperature max. 35 °C to preserve the essential oil. Crisp-dry after 5-10 days — store in dark airtight jars or paper bags, protect from light and moisture. Shelf life ca. 1 year.
- Time of day:
- March to April before flowering for wild-herb cuisine — young tender leaves and shoot tips are mildest in flavor and contain less pulegone. A second smaller harvest also possible in autumn (September-October).
- Drying:
- Rarely dried for culinary purposes since the fresh minty aroma is largely lost on drying. If needed: air-dry gently at max. 30 °C, seal immediately. Prefer fresh use or freezing.
- Ätherisches Öl (Pulegon, Menthon, Iso-Menthon, alpha-Pinen, Limonen, beta-Caryophyllen)Essential oilContent: 0,03-0,06 %
Pulegone is the toxicologically relevant main component — metabolized hepatically to menthofuran, which can cause liver necrosis at high doses. Very low in normal tea infusions. Gives ground-ivy its characteristic mildly minty-resinous smell. Antimicrobial, expectorant action.
- Gerbstoffe (Tannine, hauptsächlich Rosmarinsäure und andere Hydroxyzimtsäure-Derivate)TanninContent: 3-7 %
Astringent, mildly anti-inflammatory, wound-healing. Explains folk use for diarrhea, mucosal inflammation, and poorly healing wounds. Rosmarinic acid additionally has antioxidant and antiviral properties.
- Bitterstoffe (Marrubiin-ähnliche Diterpenlactone, Glechomafuran, Glechomanolid)BitterContent: Spuren bis 0,3 %
Secretolytic and appetite-stimulating; glechomafuran and glechomanolide are characteristic sesquiterpenoids of the plant (eponymous for 'Glechoma'). Marrubiin-like action supports traditional use for cough and weak digestion.
- Flavonoide (Hyperosid, Luteolin-7-glucosid, Apigenin, Cymarosid, Cosmosiin, Cynarosid)FlavonoidContent: 0,5-1,5 %
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, capillary-protective. Luteolin and apigenin glycosides inhibit lipoxygenase and reduce inflammatory mediators — molecular rationale for anti-inflammatory action on mucosa and skin.
- Triterpensaponine (Ursol- und Oleanolsäure-Derivate)SaponinContent: Spuren bis 0,2 %
Weakly expectorant (mucus-mobilizing) via bronchial mucosa irritation through gastric reflex — supports traditional use for cough and bronchial catarrh. Triterpene acids additionally have mild antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.
- Cholin und biogene AmineOtherContent: Spuren
Choline contributes to mild cholagogue (bile-flow stimulating) and metabolism-activating effects — rationale for use in spring cures and for liver-gallbladder complaints in folk medicine.
- Kaliumsalze, organische Säuren (Apfelsäure, Bernsteinsäure, Kaffeesäure, Ferulasäure)OtherContent: 1-3 % (Kalium); Spuren organische Säuren
Potassium and malic acid support the mild aquaretic (diuretic) action. Hydroxycinnamic acids (caffeic, ferulic) act antioxidant and contribute to overall anti-inflammation.
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- [2]MonographPlants For A Future — Glechoma hederacea(accessed: 2026-05-19)
- [3]MonographHeilkräuter-Lexikon: Gundermann (Gundelrebe)(accessed: 2026-05-19)
- [4]MonographHenriette's Herbal Homepage — Glechoma hederacea (Ground Ivy)(accessed: 2026-05-19)
- [7]MonographEFSA Scientific Opinion on Pulegone and Menthofuran in Food (EFSA Journal 2016;14(7):4364) — Toxicology of Pulegone-containing herbs(accessed: 2026-05-19)
- [5]BookMadaus, Gerhard — Lehrbuch der biologischen Heilmittel (1938), Band II: Glechoma hederacea (Public Domain)(accessed: 2026-05-19)
- [6]WikipediaWikipedia (DE): Gundermann (Glechoma hederacea)(accessed: 2026-05-19)