* 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
Name
Mentha x piperita L. (Labiatae), commonly called, Peppermint. In French, it is Menthe poivrée; in German, Pfefferminze, Pfefferminzol, and Pfefferminzblater.
Source
M. Piperitia is a hybrid that can be grown in most temperate climates. It was produced by crossing Mentha aquatica L. and Mentha spicata L. The entire plant is machine harvested just before it blooms and then allowed to dry. All parts of the plant contain an essential oil largely made up of menthol (up to 85 percent). Dried leaves are used to make teas. Steam distillation is used to extract the essential oil.
History
Peppermint was grown in ancient Egypt. Romans chewed the leaves to prevent bad breath, and used extracts to flavor wines and foods. It was believed that scattering dried leaves around granaries would keep away rats and mice. For unexplained reasons, peppermint did not reach Europe until the seventeenth century when an English botanist found the plant growing in a field of spearmint, outside of London, in a town named Mitcham. At one time, peppermint was thought to be an aphrodisiac.
Traditional Claims
Carminative, spasmolytic and choleretic (a substance that stimulates production of bile).
Commission E Recommendations
Peppermint is used to treat biliary spasm, gallbladder disorders and gastrointestinal spasm.
Proven Effects
Peppermint oil calms intestinal spasm, both in the laboratory and in double-blind, controlled clinical trials. This herb seems to be especially effective in patients with severe cases of irritable bowel syndrome.
At the cellular level, calcium is a key element in muscle contraction, both in the muscles of the intestine and in the muscles that control the diameter of blood vessels. Calcium blocking agents are used to treat patients with high blood pressure because they prevent calcium from entering the cells, and when calcium levels in muscle cells drop, the muscle in the walls of the blood vessels relax, thereby lowering blood pressure. Many patients treated with calcium blockers become severely constipated because the medicines also relax the muscles in the intestines, which means that the bowel doesn't contract with enough force. In the case of patients with irritable bowel syndrome, calcium blockade turns out to be a benefit, not an undesired side effect.
Peppermint oil is said to stimulate the gallbladder to contract, but its effect in humans has not really been studied. In Europe, a standardized herbal combination called Enteroplant, consisting of peppermint oil (90 mg) and caraway (50 mg) in an enteric coated capsule, is very popular for the treatment of mild stomach upset, and its effectiveness has been proven in at least one clinical trial. Other researchers have identified what seems to be a totally unrelated action; in a controlled trial, peppermint oil applied to the skin was just as good as acetaminophen or aspirin at relieving symptoms of tension headaches.
Dosage
Infusions made from 2 to 3 grams of dried leaf can be used three times a day. Alternatively, 2 to 3 milliliters of a 1:5, 45 percent ethanol tincture can also be taken three times a day or 6 to 12 drops of essential oil up to three time a day; oil may be applied to the skin, either for the relief of headache or to treat muscle pain. When used on the skin, the preparation should contain between 5 and 20 percent essential oil. Nasal oils, used to treat colds in Europe, usually contain 1 to 5 percent oil.
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Directions
Stir 1/4 of a teaspoon into a glass of water and consume 3 times daily, with meals.
Cautions
Concerns
Peppermint oil should not be applied to mucous membranes. It can cause severe burning. Patients with irritable bowel disease should probably be using enteric coated capsules of the oil because the chances are many of the beneficial components of the oil will be destroyed in the stomach.
Warnings
A very large dose (2 to 9 grams of the oil taken at one time) can cause acute renal failure. Patients with known gallbladder disease, especially gallstones, should not use peppermint. It might force small gallstones into the bile ducts and that could result in obstruction.
Drug Testing
None of the components of the essential oil should interfere with standard workplace urine drug screening tests.
Additional Information
TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.
TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.
TerraVita is packed in childproof, tamper-proof pharmaceutical-grade recyclable containers.
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."
