Refresh the Senses with Mint

In Greek mythology, Pluto seduced a beautiful nymph made Menthe. When his wife discovered the affair, she crushed Menthe into the ground. Pluto then turned her into sweetly smelling herb so as to remind him always of his great love for her. In ancient Greece, mint was a prime ingredient in refreshing perfumes, and was used by athletes on muscles before competition. However, Greek soldiers were not allowed to eat mint, as it was thought to have aphrodisiac and therefore “anti combat” properties. The appeal of Greece extended through the ancient world, as the Egyptians, Chinese and Japanese cultivated mint for its culinary and medicinal value, and Romans used it to flavor foods and beverages.

Mentha arvensis, commonly called peppermint, is found growing in wild in China and parts of Japan; but, it is now cultivated on an enormous scale in Japan, Brazil, Argentian, India, China and South Africa. Peppermint grows in a wide range of soils, but thrives best in deep, well drained but not over drained, irrigated former swamp lands.

Approximately 7,000 tons of oil from Mentha arvensis is produced annually, with China and India producing around 3,000 tons each, and the bulk of the remainder coming from South America. The volatile oil occurs in minute glands on the upper and lower surface of the leaves; the stem contains very little oil. Harvesting should be done when mint is in bloom to obtain optimum oil yield and menthol content, generally between July and September. The oil content decreases rapidly after full bloom as foliage begins to fall. Oil is obtained using steam distillation, with an average oil yield of 0.3 percent to 0.4 percent, although that can be raised to 1 percent.

The natural oil of Mentha arvensis contains a very large quantity of menthol, which contributes to its strong, camphoraceous odor. Freezing the total oil allows the recovery of approximately 40 percent of menthol, producing “dementholized” oil, which still contains approximately 55 percent menthol. The oil is useful in flavors and fragrances, and is commonly used in creams, shampoos and room fresheners. Physiologically, it has antiseptic, anti-flatulent, astringent and cooling properties.

Therapeutic Effects

Therapeutic applications of peppermint oils are reported in some of the older pharmacopoeias. Its first reference was found in the Icelandic Pharmacopoeias of the 13th century; but, it did not come in use in Western European Pharmacopoeias until about middle of the 18th century. It was added to London Pharmacopoeia in 1721.

Peppermint oil is adaptogenic in nature. It can either stimulate or sedate, depending on the action needed. When applied on skin, initially it constricts capillaries, causing skin cooling. After a while, it dilates them, bringing blood and warmth to the skin surface. Capsules of peppermint oil are prescribed for irritable bowel syndrome in Great Britain and Germany. It is useful in bronchitis as decongestant, and positively affects respiration.

When describing the emotional affinity of the oil, it is described as an energizer, exhilarator or awakening. It is uplifting, helps self-acceptance, helps remove stress and is useful against migraine. Further, it is said to balance the aura, providing green energy, making it excellent for shock, stress and nervous tension.

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