Active Components and Preparation
The active constituent of peppermint is the peppermint oil, made by the distillation of the stem and root of the peppermint plant (Kligler & Chaudhary, 2007). It has been suggested that peppermint oil is composed of over 1000 components, but the ones with the largest percent composition include “menthol (33-60%), menthone (15-32%), menthyl acetate (2-11%), iso-menthone (2-8%), menthofuran (1-10%), and limonene (1-7%)” (McKay & Blumberg, 2006).
Menthol not only represents the largest component in peppermint oil, but is also predominantly responsible for the oil’s therapeutic properties (Tate, 1997). Peppermint oil is often prepared in an enteric-coated standardized capsule to treat GI tract symptoms, but can also be administered topically as an anaesthetic to relieve local pain (Sustrikova & Salamon, 2004). The medicinal effects of the peppermint herb are not only limited to the oil, but also include the leaves and shoots of the herb, that can often be found used in herbal teas.
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Source: http://www.food-info.net/images/menthol.jpg |
The active constituent of peppermint is the peppermint oil, made by the distillation of the stem and root of the peppermint plant (Kligler & Chaudhary, 2007). It has been suggested that peppermint oil is composed of over 1000 components, but the ones with the largest percent composition include “menthol (33-60%), menthone (15-32%), menthyl acetate (2-11%), iso-menthone (2-8%), menthofuran (1-10%), and limonene (1-7%)” (McKay & Blumberg, 2006).
Menthol not only represents the largest component in peppermint oil, but is also predominantly responsible for the oil’s therapeutic properties (Tate, 1997). Peppermint oil is often prepared in an enteric-coated standardized capsule to treat GI tract symptoms, but can also be administered topically as an anaesthetic to relieve local pain (Sustrikova & Salamon, 2004). The medicinal effects of the peppermint herb are not only limited to the oil, but also include the leaves and shoots of the herb, that can often be found used in herbal teas.
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