Peppermint (Mentha Spicata): Taxonomic Classification, Medicinal Properties and Forms of Intake

The peppermint ( Mentha spicata L .) It is an aromatic herb for medicinal and culinary use. This perennial herbaceous plant of the family Lamiaceae is also called garden mint. It is native to much of Europe and Asia (Middle East, Himalayas, China) and naturalized in some parts of Africa, North and South America and on the oceanic islands.

This herb, also called spearmint or common mint, is used as a condiment and flavoring in certain food preparations or personal care products. It is also used as a medicinal plant, being registered in the pharmacopoeias of many European countries.

It is rich in limonene, dihydrocarvone and cineole. Among the innumerable mentioned virtues of this herb its activity can be highlighted as a stimulant, antispasmodic and carminative. It is used in digestive atonias and nervous dyspepsia.

It is also used to treat palpitations and nervous tremors, vomiting and uterine cramps. It is useful in colds, facilitating expectoration and tea made of mint is also used as a soothing.

Taxonomic classification

The Mint spicata L. (synonymous M. viridis ) has leaves of an intense green color, lanceolate, 5 to 9 cm long and 1.5 to 3 cm wide with serrated margin. The stem has a square shape.

Spearmint produces flowers in spikes not continuous five to ten centimeters long. The slender flowers are lilac, pink or white and the stamens protrude from the flower.

Taxonomically it is classified as follows:

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Lamiales

Family

Lamiaceae

Subfamily

Nepetoideae

Tribe

Mentheae

Gender

Mentha

Species

Mentha spicata

Composition

The medicinal constituents tested in spearmint are the following:

- 1,8-cineol

- Acetic acid.

- Acetophenone.

- Alpha-pinene.

- Alpha-terpineol.

- Apigenin

- Arginine.

- Benzaldehyde.

- Benzyl alcohol.

- Beta-carotene.

- Beta-sitosterol.

- Borneol.

- Carvacrol.

- Carvona.

- Caryophyllene.

- Diosmina.

- Ethanol.

- Eugenol.

- Farnesol.

- Geraniol.

- Hesperidin

- Limonene.

- Luteolin.

- Menthol.

- Methionine.

- Oleanolic acid.

- Peryl alcohol.

- Pulegona.

- Rosmarinic acid.

- Terpinen-4-ol.

- Timol.

- Tryptophan.

- Ursolic acid.

In the extract there are good phenolic contents and total flavonoids with excellent antioxidant activity. Fresh mint leaves contain a much lower level of menthol than other peppermint species.

As is typical of the essential oils of the genus Mentha, M. spicata produces a series of monoterpenes derived from limonene by oxidation.

The nutritional profile per 100 grams of Mentha spicata It is as follows: 83% water, 4.8 g of protein, 0.6 g of fat, 8 g of carbohydrates, 2 g of fiber, 200 mg of calcium, 80 mg of phosphorus and 15.6 mg of iron.

Medicinal properties

Peppermint is a common domestic herbal remedy. Many health benefits have been attributed to it, whether it is consumed fresh or its essential oil is used. The leaves should be harvested when the plant just begins to bloom, and can be dried for later use.

In popular medicine the infusion made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of fevers, headaches, digestive disorders and several minor ailments.

Against tumors

Stems are macerated and used as a poultice on bruises and there is a belief that it heals tumors. The stems next to the essential oil are used in home remedies for cancer.

De-inflammatory

Peppermint is applied directly on the skin to help reduce inflammation inside the mouth. It is also applied directly in cases of arthritis, muscle and local nervous pain and skin conditions, which include itching and hives.

Some people use peppermint to help relieve the symptoms of nausea, indigestion, gas, diarrhea, spasms of the upper gastrointestinal tract, irritable bowel syndrome, bile duct and gallbladder inflammation, and gallstones.

Its action is relaxing of the stomach muscles. In addition, spearmint is used for headache, toothache, cramps and sore throat.

In infusion

The infusion has antiandrogenic properties that reduce the level of testorena in blood, so it is useful in the treatment of hirsutism in women.

If there are excessively high levels of male hormones in women, the hair grows uncontrollably, especially on the face, sinuses and stomach. It has been suggested that drinking two cups of spearmint tea daily for 5 days could reduce the level of androgens in women with this condition.

The action of peppermint infusion in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome has also been reported.

Against cognitive deterioration

It has been indicated that the presence of antioxidants in spearmint can contribute to the improvement of learning and memory, slowing cognitive deterioration related to age.

Just as fresh green mint is edible, the essential oil is not. Before use, it must be diluted with a carrier oil. It can irritate if it comes in contact with the skin or eyes.

Other uses

An essential oil is obtained from the whole plant, with a fairly low yield, of approximately 0.4%.

The oil is used commercially as a food flavoring agent, especially confectionery products. Its fragrance is also used for personal hygiene products such as shampoos and soaps, and in preparations for oral hygiene (toothpastes and mouth rinses).

The oil extracted only from the leaves is antiseptic, although it is toxic in large doses. The essential oil also has antifungal properties; This type of action makes it possible to use it in the preservation of certain foods. In addition, the oil is insecticide, since it acts against moths.

The plant repels insects and rodents. When planted next to vegetables, protects them from insects and reduces the need for the use of pesticides.

Form of intake

Spearmint leaves are infused in water to make tea. In the Maghreb, mint is a symbol of hospitality; mint tea is part of the daily ritual among friends, family and guests. It is developed in particular by men and employ teapots and specific pouring techniques.

In Mexico, mint is used in meatballs and is an essential ingredient in drinks such as Cuban mojito. Sweet and cold tea flavored with mint is a tradition of refreshing summer drink in the southern United States. In the Southeast of Brazil, pineapple juice from America or pineapple with mint is common ( abacaxi com hortelã ).

In Indian cuisine the"pudina"chutney uses mint to make a typical sauce that accompanies almost all dishes.

Some culinary suggestions for mint are to simply cut the leaves and sprinkle them on the food, or make sauce or mint ice cream.

Precautions in their use

People with a peppermint allergy may experience a mild reaction, which includes rash, sore throat, headache or dizziness.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes spearmint as a safe substance.

However, it is believed that preparations containing spearmint interfere with the beneficial action of homeopathic remedies when taken simultaneously or at close intervals. Others consider that if the homeopathic doctor has correctly selected the remedy, there will be no interference from the mint-flavored products.

References

1. Mentha spicata (s.f.) Retrieved on March 30, 2018, from pfaf.org
2. Mint chutney recipes. (s.f.) Retrieved on March 30, 2018, from foodviva.com
3. Sadeghi Ataabadi M., Alaee S., Jafar Bagheri M., Bahmanpoor S. Role of Essential Oil of Mentha Spicata (Spearmint) in Addressing Reverse Hormonal and Folliculogenesis Disturbances in a Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in a Rat Model. Adv Pharm Bull. 2017 Dec; 7 (4), 651-654
4. Spearmint: Health benefits and more (2018). Retrieved on April 1, 2018, from medicalnewstoday.
5. Spearmint (s.f.) Retrieved on April 1, 2018, from altnature
6. Spearmint (s.f.) Retrieved on April 1, 2018, from Britannica.
7. Spearmint (s.f.) Retrieved on April 1, 2018 from Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine: Encyclopedia.com.
8. Spearmint (2018). Retrieved on April 1, 2018, from Wikipedia.