All that mint
There is a significant amount of research on peppermint (Mentha piperita). It has shown to be beneficial as a digestive aid, respiratory aid, and to relief inflammation and muscle spasm and tension. It’s menthol constituent has shown analgesic activity. It has also shown antimicrobial, antioxidant, insecticidal, and repellent activities. It may also be beneficial to improve cognition, reduce itching, to use to treat wounds, and more.
The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
Cinnamon, lemon thyme, thyme, honey myrtle, lavender, and fragonia demonstrated varying degrees of antibacterial activity against multiple tested pathogens. From: Durmic, Z., McSweeney, C. S., Kemp, G. W., Hutton, P., Wallace, R. J., & Vercoe, P. E. (2008). Australian plants with potential to inhibit bacteria and processes involved in ruminal biohydrogenation of fatty acids. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145(1-4), 271-284.
Antimicrobial activities of lavender, thyme, peppermint, cajeput, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, sage, and tea tree were summarized. From: Wińska, K., Mączka, W., Łyczko, J., Grabarczyk, M., Czubaszek, A., & Szumny, A. (2019). Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents—Myth or Real Alternative?. Molecules, 24(11), 2130.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.
Thirty essential oils were tested against pathogenic plant bacteria. Ceylon cinnamon (leaf and bark), oregano, clove bud, palmarosa, basil, peppermint, rosemary, blue gum, camphor, lemongrass, aniseed, ylang ylang, silver fir, lemon, dwarf mountain pine, bay laurel, scots pine, black cumin, Indian frankincense, bergamot orange, common juniper, bitter orange, and neem showed varying degrees of reaction. From: Popović, T., Milićević, Z., Oro, V., Kostić, I., Radović, V., Jelušić, A., & Krnjajić, S. (2018). A preliminary study of antibacterial activity of thirty essential oils against several important plant pathogenic bacteria. Pesticidi i fitomedicina, 33(3-4), 185-195.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.
Essential oils of cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, sage, clove, thyme, lemongrass, turmeric, mint, basil, and constituents of linalool, cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol, thymol, terpinene, cymene, alpha/beta pinene, bornyl acetate, camphor, 1,8-cineole, alpha terpeneol, geraniol, perrilaldehyde, and eugenol have demonstrated food preserving potential. From: Burt, S. (2004). Essential oils: their antibacterial properties and potential applications in foods—a review. International journal of food microbiology, 94(3), 223-253.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.
In a randomized controlled clinical study with 40 patients having moderate or severe periodontitis, an herbal mouthwash was assessed compared to a placebo. Both were taken twice a day for two minutes for 3 months. The herbal mouthwash contained Propolis resin extract, Plantago lanceolata, Salvia officinalis leaves extract, and 1.75% of essential oils (Salvia officinalis, Syzygium aromaticum buds, Mentha piperita leaves, Commiphora myrrha oleoresin and Pistacia lentiscus oleoresin). Results showed the herbal mouthwash reduced bleeding and plaque. From: Sparabombe, S., Monterubbianesi, R., Tosco, V., Orilisi, G., Hosein, A., Ferrante, L., … & Orsini, G. (2019). Efficacy of an all-natural polyherbal mouthwash in patients with periodontitis: a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in physiology, 10, 632.
Litsea cubeba (10%), Mentha arvensis (10%) along with vanillin (5%) and tween (5%) in alcohol (70%) showed 4 hours of skin repellency against the mosquito: Aedes albopictus. From: Wu, H., Zhang, M., & Yang, Z. (2019). Repellent activity screening of 12 essential oils against Aedes albopictus Skuse: Repellent liquid preparation of Mentha arvensis and Litsea cubeba oils and bioassay on hand skin. Industrial crops and products, 128, 464-470.
In a double blind study of 322 postoperative patients, aromatherapy with ginger and peppermint significantly reduced nausea. From: Fearrington, M. A., Qualls, B. W., & Carey, M. G. (2019). Essential Oils to Reduce Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing.
In a single blind, randomized, controlled trial, 26 patients who performed controlled breathing with peppermint aroma showed reduced postoperative nausea compared to 16 patients who just performed controlled breathing. From: Sites, D. S., Johnson, N. T., Miller, J. A., Torbush, P. H., Hardin, J. S., Knowles, S. S., … & Tart, R. C. (2014). Controlled breathing with or without peppermint aromatherapy for postoperative nausea and/or vomiting symptom relief: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 29(1), 12-19.
In a randomized study with 121 patients having postoperative nausea, a blend of lavender, ginger, peppermint, and spearmint in a portable inhaler was effective and well received by patients. From: Hodge, N. S., McCarthy, M. S., & Pierce, R. M. (2014). A prospective randomized study of the effectiveness of aromatherapy for relief of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 29(1), 5-11.
Extracts from Iberis amara (candytuft), Melissa officinalis (Melissa), Matricaria recutita (chamomile), Carum carvi (caraway), Mentha piperita (peppermint), Glycyrrhtza glabra (licorice), Angelica archangelica (Angelica), Silybum marianum (milk thistle), and Chelidonium majus (celandines) demonstrated in vivo antiulcer activity alone and as a combined furomulation. From: Khayyal, M. T., El-Ghazaly, M. A., Kenawy, S. A., Seif-El-Nasr, M., Mahran, L. G., Kafafi, Y. A., & Okpanyi, S. N. (2001). Antiulcerogenic effect of some gastrointestinally acting plant extracts and their combination. Arzneimittelforschung, 51(07), 545-553.
In a single blind, randomized, controlled trial, 26 patients who performed controlled breathing with peppermint aroma showed reduced postoperative nausea compared to 16 patients who just performed controlled breathing. From: Sites, D. S., Johnson, N. T., Miller, J. A., Torbush, P. H., Hardin, J. S., Knowles, S. S., … & Tart, R. C. (2014). Controlled breathing with or without peppermint aromatherapy for postoperative nausea and/or vomiting symptom relief: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 29(1), 12-19.
In a randomized study with 121 patients having postoperative nausea, a blend of lavender, ginger, peppermint, and spearmint in a portable inhaler was effective and well received by patients. From: Hodge, N. S., McCarthy, M. S., & Pierce, R. M. (2014). A prospective randomized study of the effectiveness of aromatherapy for relief of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 29(1), 5-11.
In a study of 50 patients with acute leukemia, administration of aromatherapy of choice: lavender, peppermint, or chamomile, significantly improved perceived tiredness, lack of appetite, depression, and anxiety, compared to the placebo. From: Lisa Blackburn, M. S., Sara Achor, B. S. N., AD, B. A., Nicole Bauchmire, M. S., Danielle Dunnington, A. D., Klisovic, R. B., … & Tomlinson-Pinkham, K. (2017, July). The effect of aromatherapy on insomnia and other common symptoms among patients with acute leukemia. In Oncology nursing forum (Vol. 44, No. 4, p. E185). Oncology Nursing Society.
In a review of research, menthol was shown to impart a topical cooling effect, desensitizing nociceptors, to offer analgesic activity. From: Pergolizzi Jr, J. V., Taylor Jr, R., LeQuang, J. A., Raffa, R. B., & NEMA Research Group. (2018). The role and mechanism of action of menthol in topical analgesic products. Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics, 43(3), 313-319.
In a randomized small controlled study with nurses after two consecutive days of working, both a foot bath or a topical spray with peppermint and orange essential oils helped reduce lower extremity edema, pain, and fatigue. From: Han, A., Kim, J., & Hur, M. H. (2022). Effects of Foot Bath and Spray Application of Peppermint and Grapefruit Essential Oils on Lower Extremity Edema, Pain, and Fatigue. Journal of the Korea Convergence Society, 13(1), 375-386.
In 22 patients with chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy, application of 1% menthol twice a day for 6 weeks. Side effects were minimal and most of the patients experienced improved function and reduced pain. From: Storey, D. J., Colvin, L. A., Scott, A. C., Boyle, D., Green, L., Jones, A. P., & Fallon, M. T. (2010). Treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) with topical menthol: A phase I study. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 28(15_suppl), 9129-9129. Read more: Link
In 16 subjects, a 3.5% topical menthol was more effective than ice in reducing exercise related muscle soreness and the menthol treatement also showed improved muscle force. From: Johar, P., Grover, V., Topp, R., & Behm, D. G. (2012). A comparison of topical menthol to ice on pain, evoked tetanic and voluntary force during delayed onset muscle soreness. International journal of sports physical therapy, 7(3), 314.
Menthol applied over a 1-week period showed analgesic activity in 10 participants. From: Mahn, F., Hüllemann, P., Wasner, G., Baron, R., & Binder, A. (2014). Topical high‐concentration menthol: reproducibility of a human surrogate pain model. European Journal of Pain, 18(9), 1248-1258.
In a study of 60 participants with neck pain, a blend of black pepper, lavender, peppermint, and marjoram essential oil in an 3% dilution applied topically helped reduce pain and improve range of motion compared to the placebo. From: Ou, M. C., Lee, Y. F., Li, C. C., & Wu, S. K. (2014). The effectiveness of essential oils for patients with neck pain: A randomized controlled study. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 20(10), 771-779.
In ten healthy men, menthol was applied in varying concentrations to the left thigh (0.5, 4.6, and 10 percent). The 4.6% concentration showed the strongest amount of cooling. From: Lasanen, R., Julkunen, P., Airaksinen, O., & Töyräs, J. (2016). Menthol concentration in topical cold gel does not have significant effect on skin cooling. Skin Research and Technology, 22(1), 40-45.
In a study of 50 patients with acute leukemia, administration of aromatherapy of choice: lavender, peppermint, or chamomile, significantly improved perceived tiredness, lack of appetite, depression, and anxiety, compared to the placebo. From: Lisa Blackburn, M. S., Sara Achor, B. S. N., AD, B. A., Nicole Bauchmire, M. S., Danielle Dunnington, A. D., Klisovic, R. B., … & Tomlinson-Pinkham, K. (2017, July). The effect of aromatherapy on insomnia and other common symptoms among patients with acute leukemia. In Oncology nursing forum (Vol. 44, No. 4, p. E185). Oncology Nursing Society.
In a placebo-controlled study with 20 participants, menthol and eucalyptus oil inhalation reduced the coughing reaction. From: Morice, A. H., Marshall, A. E., Higgins, K. S., & Grattan, T. J. (1994). Effect of inhaled menthol on citric acid induced cough in normal subjects. Thorax, 49(10), 1024-1026.
Olbas oil, a blend of peppermint, eucalyptus, and cajuput oil, along with a small amount of juniper berry and wintergreen showed strong antimicrobial activity in vitro that may be effective against various skin or respiratory infections. From: Hamoud, R., Sporer, F., Reichling, J., & Wink, M. (2012). Antimicrobial activity of a traditionally used complex essential oil distillate (Olbas® Tropfen) in comparison to its individual essential oil ingredients. Phytomedicine, 19(11), 969-976.
Olbas oil, a blend of peppermint, eucalyptus, and cajuput oil, along with a small amount of juniper berry and wintergreen showed strong antimicrobial activity in vitro that may be effective against various skin or respiratory infections. From: Hamoud, R., Sporer, F., Reichling, J., & Wink, M. (2012). Antimicrobial activity of a traditionally used complex essential oil distillate (Olbas® Tropfen) in comparison to its individual essential oil ingredients. Phytomedicine, 19(11), 969-976.
In 19 healthy participants, ice and/or diluted menthol were applied, and blood flow was measured. It was found that applying a 3.5% menthol helped reduce peripheral blood flow, and the combination of applying both crushed ice and menthol had an additive effect of reducing blood flow. From: Topp, R., Ledford, E. R., & Jacks, D. E. (2013). Topical menthol, ice, peripheral blood flow, and perceived discomfort. Journal of athletic training, 48(2), 220-225.
In 17 healthy adults, 3.5% menthol was more effective than ice in rapidly reducing blood flow and improving lower arm muscle strength. From: Topp, R., Winchester, L., Mink, A. M., Kaufman, J. S., & Jacks, D. E. (2011). Comparison of the effects of ice and 3.5% menthol gel on blood flow and muscle strength of the lower arm. Journal of sport rehabilitation, 20(3), 355-366.
In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study of 50 highschool girls with PMS, the group who took a peppermint essential oil capsule twice a day for 10 days had safe and effective results. From: Delavar, M. A., Ebrahimi, S., Esmaeilzadeh, S., & Khamse, A. (2019). Effect of Peppermint Oil on Premenstrual Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, (In Press).
This articles reviews research on herbs for treating menstrual pain. Herbs included: ginger, German chamomile, mint, valerian, cramp bark, black haw, fennel, lemon balm, cumin, and cinnamon. From: Rajabzadeh, F., Fazljou, S. M., Khodaie, L., Abbasalizadeh, S., & Sahebi, L. (2018). Effects of hot temperament herbs on primary Dysmenorrhea: a systematic review. Middle East Journal of Family Medicine, 7(10), 257.
By: Kathy Sadowksi
Updated: 12/21/2022