While peppermint, combined with spearmint, is the main source of the mint oil approved by Commission E, the commission thought so highly of peppermint, it gave the herb two more monographs: one for the leaf and one for the oil. We have combined them ...
* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
While peppermint, combined with spearmint, is the main source of the mint oil approved by Commission E, the commission thought so highly of peppermint, it gave the herb two more monographs: one for the leaf and one for the oil. We have combined them into one entry on peppermint, which is a hybrid derived from spearmint and considered both more powerful and more versatile than spearmint.
Potential Health Benefits
Commission E commends peppermint leaf for its ability to quiet spasms of the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, and bile ducts. The commission endorses the essential oil-which is steam-distilled from dried peppermint leaf - for all those treatments, plus some others. They include inflammations of the respiratory tract and inflammation of the mouth. For external use, Commission E endorses peppermint oil for effective relief of muscle pain and neuralgia (nerve inflammation).
Scientific Evidence
The herb contains at least 1.2 percent essential oil, whose main active ingredient is menthol. According to Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., in his book Tyler's Honest Herbal, "American peppermint oil contains from 50 to 78 percent of free menthol and another 5 to 20 percent of various combined forms of [esters] of menthol. Those major components are also largely responsible for the peppermint's ability to stimulate bile flow and promote digestion."
A German study in 1996 found a mixture of 90 milligrams of peppermint oil and 50 milligrams of caraway, taken in coated capsules, effective in treating upset stomach. A 1994 study published in the journal Cephalalgia found a combination of peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil as effective as aspirin for treating headaches when the mixed oils were rubbed on the skin. Commission E doesn't cite this use of peppermint oil, alone or in combination.
How to Use the Herb
The recommended internal dose of peppermint leaf is 3-6 grams. To make tea, pour 1/2 cup of hot water over 1 teaspoonful of leaves, steep for 10 minutes, and strain; drink up to 3 cups per day. For internal use of potent concentrated oil, the average daily dose is 6-12 drops in water; for inhalation, 3-4 drops in hot water; for irritable bowel syndrome, the average single dose is 0.6 milliliters in coated tablets.
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Directions
Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 tea bag for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea).
Iced tea brewing method (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the bags. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water].
Cautions
People with gallstones should consult a physician before using peppermint leaves. Obstructed bile ducts, severe, liver damage, and gallbladder infection rule out use of the powerful essential oil. Peppermint oil should be kept away from the faces of small children and not used externally on infants or small children. There are no known drug interactions.
Additional Information
ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
