Mentha piperita

Mentha x piperita, “Peppermint” in English and “Menthe poivrée” in French, belongs to the Lamiaceae botanical family. Native to Europe and the Middle east, it is now cultivated in many areas of the world. This herb thrives in moist soils and can be invasive.

Its fragrant leaves are used to make teas, as a culinary aromatic & flavouring, and also in soap products and cosmetics.

It is used as a medicine as a spasmolytic carminative, and cholagogue; mixed with other herbal drugs, as a sedative; to treat acute and chronic gastritis, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, flatulence and chronic cholecystopathies.

Its essential oil (0.5 to 4%) is mainly constituted of menthol and menthol esters, especially the acetate and isovalerianate, menthone, menthofuran, piperitone and other monoterpenes. Also, flavonoids (eriocitrin, narirutin, isorhoifolin, diosmin…), tannins and triterpenes.

• English name Peppermint
• French name Menthe poivrée