The oil and the plant are commonly used as a food flavouring, in candy, chewing gum, toothpaste and massage products. Widely used in the cosmetic industry, in shampoos and hair treatments. Thanks to its fresh and pleasant aroma, it is widely used to combat nausea and headaches.

Product Details

Name: Peppermint

Scientific Name: Mentha piperita

Method of extraction: Steam distillation

Part of plant: Flowering tops

Country of origin: USA

Main Components: Menthol (43.04%), Menthone (20.79%) 

Health

Peppermint essential oil is very stimulating and invigorating. It has a wide range of uses and is safe and easy to extract via leaf distillation. It is a great airway decongestant. The main components are menthol and menthone. 

Digestive and gastric problems

In the Ebers papyrus, the oldest medicinal text found among the Egyptians, there is the quote that 'mint soothes the stomach'. It is a hepato-pancreatic stimulant, antispasmodic and cholagogue (promotes the excretion of bile), thus aid in stomach pain and digestion. It has been studied for its positive effects against irritable bowel syndrome [1], for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory and anesthetic characteristics. L-menthol, known as menthol, blocks calcium channels in smooth muscle and produces an antispasmodic effect on gastrointestinal muscles. 

Analgesic

For muscle fatigue, joint pain and relaxation, peppermint oil, even without association with other essential oils, already offers comfort.

In a study, it obtained positive results compared to the use of Tylenol in tension headaches.

Respiratory problems

Useful in various respiratory problems: rhinitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, asthma and respiratory infections. 

Other uses

Peppermint leaves have been used as a plaster to reduce rheumatism and osteoarthritis pain, as well as bruises in general. Diffused, it leaves a feeling of a purified and fresh environment. Due to the concentration of menthone it works by stimulating the body, in particular the nervous system. Menthol gives it analgesic and anti-infective properties and action. 

Side effects

For internal use, it is not recommended for children under 6 years old (risk of laryngeal spasm). Despite being useful in morning sickness, its oral use is advisable only with medical prescriptions. Not recommended for diabetic and epileptic people. 

How to use

Always perform a maximum concentration of 20%, carrying out a test on the arm before using it and associated with a carrier oil. Avoid direct use on the skin as it can cause a sensation of local anesthesia, heat and cold, and be irritating. 

References

[1] Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al. The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):21. doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2409-0

[2] Gobel H, Fresenius J, Heinze A, Dworschak M, Soyka D. Effectiveness of Oleum menthae piperitae and paracetamol in therapy of headache of the tension type. Nervenarzt. 1996 Aug;67)8):672-81.