Which Herbs Can You Put in a Vaporizer?

In theory you can throw almost anything you fancy into a vaporizer, but with some medicinal plants the active compounds simply do not release very well when vaporized. Other herbs only really work with a different method of intake; a stomach-and-gut tea, for example, should of course be drunk, since it is meant to act in the stomach and intestines.

For many other herbs, however, the opposite is true: in a vaporizer the active compounds release more concentrated and more aromatic than with any other method of inhalation, or of intake at all. This applies to medicinal herbs, which often only unfold their full effect through vaporizing, but also to psychoactive or mood-lifting plants that are unpalatable or even toxic in almost every other form.

Here is a short overview of vaporizable herbs, with no claim to being complete or entirely accurate.

Important: some of these substances may be illegal in your country. Please look into the legal situation where you live before use.

• Anise
• Valerian
• Comfrey
• Blue Lotus
• Cannabis
• Damiana
• Angelica
• Eucalyptus
• Cloves
• Ginseng (Panax ginseng)
• Goldenrod
• Gotu Kola
• Guarana
• Hops (Humulus)
• Hyssop
• Ginger
• St John's Wort
• Chamomile
• Lavender
• Motherwort
• Lemon Balm
• Meadowsweet
• Passionflower
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Tea in the vaporizer
• Thyme
• Yohimbe

Anise

Anise is both a culinary spice and a medicinal plant, originally from Asia, and it has a well-earned reputation for helping with stomach trouble. Anise has an antispasmodic effect and has soothed many an upset stomach. More generally it is considered calming and is traditionally used against asthma, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, bronchitis and headaches. Anise is also said to be disinfecting and an expectorant, which makes it a popular ally against colds. It is even reputed to freshen the breath. Anise consists mainly of essential oil rich in anethole, the compound behind the smell and taste of the spice, along with ordinary oil, flavonoids and phenolic acids. The most popular way to use it is as a tea, which certainly makes sense for stomach issues. To clear stubborn mucus from the nose or lungs, though, vaporizing is the better choice. All you need is a vaporizer and the right temperature: anise likes it medium-warm at 150 to 170°C. That is all, get the settings right and the anise will quickly help free your sinuses.

Valerian

That valerian has a calming effect and helps with sleep problems is common knowledge. Valerian is without doubt one of the most popular calming herbs and is used above all for stress-related complaints such as stomach cramps and heart trouble. In individual cases, especially when overdosed, valerian can of course do the opposite and stimulate, but as a rule it works in a balancing, relaxing way. Valerian can be inhaled without any problem up to a vaporizer temperature of 235°C and blends very well with plants such as lemon balm, hawthorn and hop flowers. As is generally the case with herbal vaporizing, the effect sets in quickly, unlike valerian taken as drops or tea.

Comfrey

Comfrey goes by several names and is known botanically as Symphytum officinale. The name describes what this plant, common all across Europe, is traditionally valued for: it is said to be good for the bones. Comfrey should be vaporized at a medium temperature, ideally 150 to 175°C. It is best to vaporize the chopped root, which holds most of the active compounds, above all allantoin, associated with wound healing. The leaves are somewhat weaker but can also be vaporized. Comfrey is generally said to be for external use only, and many sources warn against internal use, though that warning refers specifically to swallowing it. Even so, be careful with the dose when vaporizing, since comfrey can harm the liver if used improperly. So do your research first. Beyond its wound-healing reputation, comfrey is considered soothing and calming to irritation. It is often used as a cream, above all for swollen joints and dry skin. Besides allantoin, comfrey also contains mucilage and tannins, plus essential oils and starch.

Blue Lotus

At 100 to 125°C the dried blue lotus flower (Nymphaea caerulea, Nymphaea alba), already used and revered as a remedy and intoxicant by the ancient Egyptians, vaporizes beautifully. Vaporizing this water lily not only produces a particularly intense effect, it also bypasses the plant's bitter taste. Blue lotus, also called blue water lily or Egyptian lotus, is thought to contain compounds such as aporphine, apomorphine (related to dopamine) and nuciferine, though the exact contents of this mysterious and potent plant are not fully known. What is clearer is its effect: blue lotus is considered calming and pain-relieving. Despite its much-praised narcotic and relaxing character, it can also lead to stimulating, euphoric states. Blue lotus is also said to bring on vivid states and to heighten desire.

Cannabis

Depending on the country, the possession, consumption and medical use of cannabis is subject to strict and very different legal rules, so always check the laws where you live. That said, here is some information on the properties attributed to the hemp plant, especially in combination with the vaporizer. After all, cannabis can not only be smoked or taken orally, it can also be inhaled. From a medical point of view cannabis is far from disreputable, as it is said to have pain-relieving, relaxing, sleep-inducing and appetite-stimulating effects. It is also traditionally used for stomach complaints, particularly nausea. The problem with smoking cannabis, however, is that combustion loads the body with harmful substances, just like cigarette smoke, and burning also destroys many of the valuable compounds. This is where vaporizing comes in. Vaporizing is very efficient, since it delivers far more of the active compounds, and it is also more pleasant and cleaner: the material is not burned but only vaporized, so only vapour and no combustion by-products reach the lungs. Vaporizing is also more agreeable for non-smokers, as there is no smoke and therefore no unpleasant smell, and nothing bites or scratches the throat the way a joint does. To get the most out of vaporizing cannabis you need the right temperature setting: between 185 and 210°C. This range is what allows the THC to release and be carried into the lungs with the vapour.

Damiana

Damiana (Turnera diffusa) is found mainly in Central America and has made a name for itself in popular awareness as a natural aid to virility. Thanks to its essential oils (cineole and thymol) it is also used for colds. Another of its compounds is caffeine, which allows for use as a mild stimulant. In Mexican cuisine, for instance, damiana is also simply used as a seasoning. Although it is mostly brewed as a tea in its home regions, and in rarer cases smoked (damiana plays an important role in nicotine-free herbal tobacco blends), vaporizing is possible too. For use in the vaporizer at around 150 to 170°C only the leaves of the plant matter. Fans of damiana swear by its calming, mood-lifting and antispasmodic effects.

Angelica

Angelica (Angelica archangelica) needs a vaporizer temperature of 100 to 150°C to unfold its character best. The plant contains bitter compounds, tannins, resins, wax, starch, sugar, imperatorin, umbelliferone, xanthotoxin and essential oil, and is regarded as a true all-rounder, traditionally used for stomach complaints, low mood, rheumatism, stress, circulatory weakness, fever, respiratory ailments and colds. Mainly the root is processed, both for tea and for vaporizing, but it must first be cleaned well, split and dried. Angelica has also long been surrounded by folklore; the root was once used against evil spirits and dark magic.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is more readily associated with Australia and koalas than with herbal vaporizing. And yet, enriched with the essential oils cineole, flavonoids and euglobals, it inhales wonderfully and is in fact known for being especially good to inhale. Eucalyptus helps you breathe freely again when the airways are congested. With a cold it works wonders as a rub or bath, but inhaling it is without doubt the most effective route, since it reaches the affected airways fastest and best clears the mucus in the bronchi, nose and sinuses. Beyond loosening mucus, eucalyptus is also germicidal and pleasantly cools the airways. It is inhaled either as dried eucalyptus leaves (temperature up to about 130°C) or by placing a cloth dabbed with eucalyptus oil in the vaporizer (at a correspondingly lower temperature).

Cloves

Long prized in China and Egypt and very well suited to vaporizing, cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) were once a costly and healing spice, and are still a particularly effective little remedy for stimulating digestion and appetite and for easing nausea, rheumatism, colds, throat inflammation and coughs. Cloves are also used for pain, especially migraines and toothache, and for infections. Named medicinal plant of the year 2010, this spice is even said to help with impotence, an almost viagra-like reputation. As stimulating as cloves are to people, insects detest them, which makes cloves excellent as an incense or oil against mosquitoes. Above all for ailments of the airways and throat, cloves are best vaporized. A low temperature of 125°C to 150°C is ideal. Cloves are among the herbs particularly well suited to vaporizing in the well-known AroMed vaporizer.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng)

Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) is native above all to northern China, Korea and southern Russia, where it is now protected. In traditional Asian medicine the root has held meaning for thousands of years and is used chiefly as a tonic. Its reputed effect on physical and mental performance, as well as on the body's natural defences, made the plant a near-symbol of a long and healthy life in Chinese history, at times worth more than gold in trade. Its reputation as a possible aphrodisiac did the rest. Ginseng is not only medicinal, though; the root is also an essential part of northern Chinese and Korean cuisine and features in many dishes and drinks. Vaporized, the ginseng root (usually available as a powder) is said to be invigorating, mood-lifting and activating. Many users are also delighted by its pleasant, mildly sweet but understated taste. Experienced users advise cautious dosing to avoid the effect tipping over. The ideal vaporizing temperature for Panax ginseng is around 175°C to 200°C.

Goldenrod

The best vaporizer setting for goldenrod (Solidago, Solidago gigantea) is also a low temperature of 100 to 150°C. For vaporizing you use the dried, already flowering and finely chopped herb. Goldenrod's compounds include tannins, saponins, bitters, phenol glycosides, diterpenes, leiocarposide, flavonoids, inulin and essential oils. It is best known for its anti-inflammatory reputation, is used above all for kidney and bladder complaints and is usually taken as a diuretic tea. Goldenrod is also said to be blood-cleansing and antispasmodic and to help with rheumatism, gout, stomach problems and many other ailments.

Gotu Kola

The herb gotu kola (Hydrocotyle asiatica or Centella asiatica), also called fo-ti-tieng, tiger grass and brahmi, ranks high among well-known and popular herbs thanks not only to its many names but also to some interesting compounds. Gotu kola contains, for example, the alkaloid hydrocotylin, along with flavonol glycosides, triterpene saponins and some free triterpenes. The herb, one of the medicinal plants used in Ayurveda, is often processed as an essential oil, but is also found as a tea or incense blend. Less well known is that gotu kola can be vaporized, but it can, and it is one of our top tips. You can hardly go wrong: simply fill the chopped, dried herb into the vaporizer and set it to 100 to 150°C. Just listen to your body and nothing can go wrong. Whereas its effect spreads only slowly with other forms of intake, vaporizing brings on a pleasantly relaxing effect within a few minutes. Gotu kola is said to work wonders especially for restlessness and stress, and is generally regarded as fever-reducing, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory. Drunk as a tea it also acts as a diuretic. Gotu kola is likewise traditionally used for haemorrhoids, skin conditions and rheumatism.

Guarana

Guarana is a South American climbing plant of the soapberry family, used, like ginger, for circulatory complaints. Beyond that, guarana is a pick-me-up with a refreshing, stimulating effect. As with coffee or black tea, caffeine is behind the stimulation. Despite its relatively high caffeine content, guarana acts gently, rarely leads to a caffeine crash and can last four to five hours. Guarana is used not only as a stimulant but also for headaches and to reduce fever. It is also said to help with shortness of breath and stomach problems. In short, guarana is reputed to strengthen the whole body. For vaporizing, the guarana seeds must be powdered and inhaled at around 190°C. The effect will not keep you waiting long.

Hops (Humulus)

Hops is a climbing plant of the hemp family, best known for brewing beer. But hops does well beyond beer, including in herbal vaporizing. Like almost all medicinal plants it can be taken as a tea or in medicinal form, and even smoked, but inhaling is by far the most effective method: the relaxing effect of hops sets in quickly and clearly. Hops is best vaporized for symptoms such as migraines, agitation and exhaustion, and it can also help with mild low moods and anxious states as well as sleep problems. Hops undoubtedly steadies the nerves considerably, probably because, alongside its bitters, it contains an essential oil. The ideal temperature for vaporizing hops is around 130°C, an unusual way to experience hops.

Hyssop

The aromatic plant hyssop is known by many names; botanists call it Hyssopus officinalis. Whatever you call it, hyssop is a seasoning herb that is also said to have healing properties. It is reputed to aid digestion and stimulate the appetite. Drunk as a tea, hyssop acts as a diuretic, probably thanks to the bitter compound diosmin. Hyssop is also said to be stimulating and strengthening and to be anti-inflammatory. It is likewise reputed to help against respiratory ailments, colds, circulatory problems and sore throats, though its effect has not yet been sufficiently proven. What is well established are the plant's compounds: resins, tannins, essential oil, flavonoids and, as mentioned, diosmin. A few words on vaporizing: hyssop is well suited to it and gives you full control. Overdosing, which can lead to cramps, is nearly impossible when vaporizing. You get it right by vaporizing the dried hyssop herb at 100 to 150°C.

Ginger

Ginger, native to Asia and mostly used for cooking or teas, can also be inhaled without any problem. Ginger has many uses; inhaling it is said to help with hiccups, digestive problems, colds, migraines, loss of appetite, circulatory complaints and nausea. In combination with sage it is said to help against sore throats, and ginger is even regarded as a proven remedy for withdrawal symptoms. When vaporizing ginger, temperature is key: the optimum is around 130°C. Ginger can of course, like tea, be vaporized in liquid form, though that requires a special vaporizer. It is simpler to inhale the dried root very finely chopped or powdered.

St John's Wort

St John's wort is used above all for low moods and can be taken not only as tablets or teas but also by vaporizing. In the vaporizer it can be heated up to 190°C, and here too the effect is quick and efficient, since vaporizing releases up to 90 percent of its active compounds. St John's wort is only truly helpful, however, when taken regularly over a longer period.

Chamomile

Chamomile tea is widely regarded as helpful for ailments of the stomach and gut and for lower abdominal pain. But when the airways are affected, for example with a cough, a cold, inflamed vocal cords or even bronchitis, vaporizing chamomile is the best and above all the fastest route to relief. Vaporizing chamomile (also called Matricaria chamomilla) brings on the effect within a few minutes, and you feel a little better almost at once. To vaporize chamomile optimally a low temperature of 100 to 125°C is enough, though it is said you can go up to 190°C. The dried, finely ground chamomile flowers can also be mixed with other herbs; lemon balm works particularly well. Chamomile contains various flavones, essential oil with chamazulene, bisabolol and coumarins, and thanks to its sweat-inducing effect it is regarded as a remedy for fever. Chamomile also helps against cramps and inflammation in general.

Lavender

Lavender can not only drive away moths and other pests, it is also traditionally used for sleep and skin problems, restlessness and inflammation. It even helps optimise the flow of bile. Lavender has a strongly balancing effect on a frayed nervous system and, with its essential oils, resins, saponin and its tannins and bitters, brings harmony to a turbulent life. Because lavender reacts strongly against germs, it also helps with open wounds and against colds. So if you are battling a stubborn cold, there is no need to hesitate, reach for the vaporizer. The most important basis for successful lavender vaporizing is the right temperature. Lavender does not like it too hot; it is ideally vaporized at 100 to 125°C, with an upper limit of 130°C.

Motherwort

Motherwort, probably native to Asia, also carries several names and is known botanically as Leonurus cardiaca. The plant is often used to strengthen the heart. Motherwort is also said to help with menstrual complaints and headaches. The reason lies in its compounds: iridoids, phenolic acids, tannins and flavonoids. Motherwort does not only help with heart complaints; it is also used for restlessness, stomach complaints and sleep problems, and is even said to help through menopause. Motherwort is mostly taken as a tea, but we would not describe it in such detail if it could not also go through the vaporizer, and it can, best at a low temperature, meaning a mild 100 to 150°C.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family that is excellent for herbal vaporizing. Like rosemary it contains an essential oil and can be vaporized, and thus inhaled, at a temperature of 130°C. To vaporize lemon balm, the leaves should be put into boiling water and then filled into the vaporizer. Lemon balm has above all a calming effect and is therefore inhaled particularly for restlessness and sleep trouble. It also blends very well with other herbs such as chamomile and valerian. For the exact blends and their effects, ask at a pharmacy.

Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet, botanically Filipendula ulmaria, also called queen of the meadow, can, despite its harmless name, be vaporized, at a moderate 100 to 150°C. Meadowsweet is a medicinal plant traditionally used for fever, inflammation, headaches and flu, and it is also used as a pain reliever, especially for headaches and heartburn. But that is far from all: meadowsweet is diuretic and blood-cleansing, sweat-inducing, is said to help with stomach and gut problems, is detoxifying and is even regarded as an effective remedy for gout. Paradoxically, in too high a dose meadowsweet can itself cause the headaches it otherwise drives away; the compound glycoside is to blame. Other compounds include essential oils, flavonoids, tannins and silicic acids, wax, fat, terpenes, salicylic acid compounds, heliotropin, citric acid, vanillin, gaultherin and salicylates. Meadowsweet can be vaporized almost entirely, roots and flowers, less often the leaves.

Passionflower

The passionflower is not only a very good-looking plant, it also contains numerous compounds that, used correctly, can have a positive effect on the human body. It contains, for example, the flavonoids luteolin and phytosterol and the plant compound coumarin. Further ingredients are vitexin, maltol and several passiflorines.
Important safety note: the first version of this article was missing an important note on handling passionflower. It contains the MAO inhibitor harmine. This compound is not harmless and can, in the worst case, become dangerous to life through interaction with the simplest foods such as cheese or fruit. Before use you should therefore always consult a doctor.
Above all, the compounds of the passionflower are said to help with sleep problems, which is why it also carries the fitting nicknames of calming or sleep flower. Its soothing effect is also said to help against psychosomatic complaints, for example stomach and gut trouble, palpitations, high blood pressure, restlessness and exhaustion, as well as menopausal symptoms.

Peppermint

Whatever you want to do with peppermint, only its leaves should ever be used. Known botanically as Mentha x piperita, they contain many helpful components that come out in tea and oil but can also be released by vaporizing. The leaves contain, for example, flavonoids, essential oils, above all menthol, plus numerous enzymes, tannins and bitters. Peppermint is used, as almost everyone has felt for themselves, against respiratory ailments, especially colds, but also for liver and gallbladder complaints. It is also a popular remedy for menstrual, skin and stomach or digestive complaints, cramps and restlessness. Peppermint is also disinfecting and generally pain-relieving. It is said to ease muscle and nerve pain, as well as nausea. Peppermint is both calming and stimulating, depending entirely on dose and use. It is also used for scalp problems, loss of appetite, migraines and inflammation. Peppermint is very happy in the vaporizer, above all at a temperature of 100 to 130 or 150°C. Vaporizing peppermint helps especially with respiratory ailments, since the vapour reaches the site of inflammation fastest. And even without a cold, sore throat or hoarseness, mint can simply be vaporized for its own sake: many peppermint fans rave about the fresh, pleasantly cool taste and feeling in the mouth and head. Peppermint can also be used as an addition in the vaporizer: it upgrades many less tasty herbs and gives them a refreshing note.

Rosemary

Rosemary has a stimulating effect on the stomach and can also be antispasmodic, heart-strengthening, blood-cleansing, circulation-promoting, balancing and generally strengthening. Rosemary is inhaled above all for flu and coughs, but thanks to its circulation-promoting and invigorating effect also for poor circulation in the arms and legs and for circulatory complaints. Vaporizing rosemary is also said to help with heart complaints and, through its stimulating effect, with weakness, restlessness and exhaustion. Only during pregnancy must rosemary not be inhaled or otherwise used. What many do not know: rosemary contains an essential oil made up in part of resins and camphor. This member of the mint family can be vaporized at 130°C.

Sage

Sage, rich in essential oil, can also be vaporized; all you need are its dried leaves and a vaporizer set to up to 150°C. Sage is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antispasmodic, disinfecting, cough-easing and calming. Sage also lowers blood sugar and, taken as a tea, stimulates digestion, though in too high a dose it can over-irritate the stomach. Another effect of sage is the hallucinogenic action of its essential oil thujone, but hallucinations can really only occur with a drastic overdose, which, as we all know, is nearly impossible with a vaporizer.

Tea in the vaporizer

Tea can be not only drunk, gargled, used as a steam bath or as a tincture: it is also excellent for inhaling, though for the full effect you need a vaporizer that can take liquids. The AroMed can do this as standard; the Volcano vaporizer has to be fitted with a liquid chamber. Not all types of tea can be vaporized, of course, but there are some well-known ones whose vapour works wonders. Examples would be:

• Peppermint as well as thyme and marigold (calendula) tea clear the airways; brewed bay leaves help drive away throat inflammation
• Chamomile tea, which has an antispasmodic effect and works wonders especially with infections, as it neutralises bacterial toxins
• Green and black tea are both known for their invigorating effect; green tea, enjoyed regularly, may also have cancer-inhibiting properties.

There are many other types of tea that can be inhaled; it is best to ask at a pharmacy about inhalable teas. In the vaporizer, tea is usually inhaled at 190°C, can be wonderfully combined with other herbs and of course goes into the vaporizer chamber in liquid form. It is important that the brewed tea is fresh, so not from a teabag, still hot and freed of any tea residue.

Thyme

Thyme, both a member of the mint family and a herb, can, like so many plants, be vaporized. Thyme contains many useful essential oils, above all thymol, but also oils such as cineole and borneol, which are released by vaporizing and then work wonders especially for the bronchi and lungs. Thyme helps with all kinds of cough problems as well as bronchitis and airway inflammation, since it is mucus-loosening and antibacterial. Thyme also aids digestion, stimulates the appetite and is expectorant. If thyme is meant to help with stomach complaints, the vaporizer is of course not much use, since it carries the vapour via the airways and not the digestive system; for that, thyme should be taken as a tea. As thyme only has side effects with a drastic overdose, which is nearly impossible with a vaporizer anyway, it can even be used for children. Stick to a vaporizer setting of 190°C and nothing much can go wrong; within a very short time thyme lastingly frees the lungs and bronchi of mucus or bacterial buildup.

Yohimbe

Even though it appears on the herb list, yohimbe is really more of a tree (Pausinystalia johimbe), in whose bark (Yohimbehe cortex) the compound yohimbine, named after the tree, occurs. In West African cultures the use of yohimbe has played a major role for centuries, among other things as an aphrodisiac and in initiation rites. In the Western world too the compound is used to address erectile problems and urinary incontinence, and it was long used to treat high blood pressure. However, use, or overdose, can easily lead to unpleasant side effects such as inner restlessness, palpitations and general nervousness. Use in combination with caffeine in particular is to be regarded as problematic. At strongly excessive doses it can also cause unpleasant states, epileptic seizures and loss of consciousness. Even fatalities after extreme doses have been reported. On top of that, the compound content of the available bark varies greatly, which makes dosing very difficult and calls for careful, small starting amounts. For use in vaporizers a temperature between 185°C and 200°C is recommended.