* Please Note: Traditional Use information is provided as a courtesy only. Although we have done our best to review the validity of these uses and we continue to revise this information as new data emerges, the traditional uses indicated on this page for this product may be wrong. This information is based on Traditional and Folklore Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA and is not necessarily based on scientific evidence from any source. 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.
Other Names: Menthe poivrée (French); Pfefferminze (German); menta piperina (Italian); la menta (Spanish).
Description: Peppermint has reddish purple, usually hairless stems (up to 0.9 m) and leaves, and the flowers (invariably lilac-pink) are arranged in dense, elongated terminal clusters. Eau-de-cologne mint (M. x piperita var. citrata) has some use in perfumery.
Origin: Peppermint does not occur in nature but is a sterile triple hybrid between M. aquatica and M. spicata (the latter itself is a hybrid between M. suaveolens and M. longifolia). Most of the annual production of more than 3,000 tons of oil comes from the USA.
Parts Used: Fresh or dried leaves (Menthae piperitae folium) and the essential oil obtained by steam distillation (Menthae piperitae aetheroleum).
Uses and Properties: The drug is used to treat digestive disorders and to mask the unpleasant taste of other herbs. It is specifically employed in case of spastic complaints (including irritable bowel syndrome), ailments of the gall bladder and bile duct, and catarrhs of the respiratory tract. The oil is antimicrobial, antiviral and mildly anaesthetic, and can be used topically to relieve pain, including headache (but not migraine) and mucosal inflammations of the mouth.
Preparation and Dosage: Leaves are used as tea and the oil taken orally (daily dose 6 - 12 drops) or as part of proprietary medicines and in slow-release formulations to treat spastic colon. A few drops of oil may be rubbed into affected parts (forehead and temples in the case of tension headaches).
Active Ingredients: The activity is ascribed mainly to the essential oil components, which include menthol (30-40% or more), (-)-menthone (15-25%), (-)-menthyl acetate (up to 10%), (-)-menthofuran (preferably less than 5%, because it has an unpleasant smell). Carvone an pulegone should preferably be absent.
Pharmacological Effects: Animal studies and clinical trials support most of the claimed therapeutic benefits listed above. The cooling effect is due to the presence of menthol which affects cold receptors.
Status: Pharm.; Comm. E+; ESCOP 3; WHO clinical studies+.
Although all the species of mint are liable to be used in medicine, Peppermint is generally preferred since it has a stronger odor, a more aromatic taste, is richer in essential oil and has more active stimulant properties. It is regarded as an anti-spasmodic; is prescribed in every case where there are serious nervous disorders, in headaches, colics, nervous vomiting, nervous tympanitis, hiccups, flatulence and periodic discharges with nervous symptoms.
It is useful in all cases of debility when it is a matter of fortifying organs, rallying strength, stimulating a function or facilitating execptoration. There are quite a lot of pharmaceutical preparations of mint. The infusion has been recommended for aenemia, chlorosis and Asian cholera.
Externally, it is used in lotions and fomentations as a resolvent for bruises and scabies. The syrup and distilled water are recommended for vomiting in children, and for gout. The powder has been administered for nervous fevers and the pulp for swelling in the breasts. The alcoholate is used for friction in cases of chronic rheumatism, and the essence, for toothache and swollen gums. Dioscorides claimed that mint was an aphrodisiac.
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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 pot, cover and let steep for 2-4 minutes. Pour into your cup; add milk and sugar to taste.
Iced tea brewing method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 5 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea itself. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into the serving pitcher straining the tea bags. Add ice and top-up with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
Dosage: Drink one cup twice daily, following lunch and dinner, for relief of symptoms of indigestion.
Cautions
Peppermint oil should not be applied to the facial region or near the nose of small children (risk of spasms and respiratory arrest).
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."
