Peppermint
Element - Wood
Property - cold
Note - Head
Group - Essential oil
Synonym - mint
Botanical name - Mentha piperita
Plant family - Lamiaceae (labiates)
Contents
Botany
Botanical name
Mentha piperita
Plant family
Lamiaceae (labiates)
The labiate family (bot. Lamiaceae) includes 240 genera with around 7,200 species. Well-known species include mint, white deadnettle, lavender and sage. The plants are rich in essential oils and many species are used as aromatic plants or for medicinal purposes. Characteristic of the Lamiaceae family is the zygomorphic formation of the flowers in the upper and lower lip. Within the family, annual or perennial herbaceous plants are more common, some of which grow woody. They are distributed worldwide and grow in highly diverse locations.
Here you can find more information about the labiate plant family
→ at the Horstmann tree nursery
Origin & distribution
species of the family can be found all over the world. They live in almost all habitats, from lowlands to mountainous regions. In the Mediterranean region, the Lamiaceae have developed an extremely species-rich population. They are less common in tropical regions. They prefer an open location with plenty of sunshine in exposed locations.
Origin for the production of the oils
Egypt, China, Italy, USA
Plant part used
Peppermint essential oil is extracted from the herb, leaves and flowers of the plant.
Ingredients
- Monoterpenes
- Sesquiterpenes
- Monoterpenols
- Sesquiterpenols
- Ketones
- Ester
- Phenols
- Oxides
- Other: Sabinene hydrate
Warnings
Internal use:
Not for infants and young children under 4 years of age. Pregnant women only under professional supervision in very low concentrations (<0.5%).
External application:
In infants only in very low concentrations (<0.5%). Peppermint oil should not be used in cases of fever or epilepsy.
Possible antidote:
Care should be taken when handling peppermint oil during simultaneous homeopathic constitutional treatment, as it can act as an antidote. However, Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, himself worked very intensively with peppermint oil and other essential oils and critically examined this problem from a scientific point of view. When used normally, it is a well-tolerated oil.
Peppermint oil can severely irritate the skin and especially the mucous membranes and eyes and cause severe pain. The remedy in this case is to rinse with a fatty oil (carrier oil) and then rinse with water.
Thermoplastics (plastics) can be attacked by peppermint oil.
Background
Peppermint essential oil is extracted from the leaves, herb and flowers of the plant by steam distillation. Peppermint thrives worldwide and is one of the most vital plants, so much so that in some gardens it spreads almost like a weed. There are many varieties of mint, such as field and field mint, Japanese peppermint, spearmint, catnip, mountain mint, water mint, etc.
Peppermint is certainly already familiar to everyone as a tea. Mint is also often used in the food industry. It is not only a seasoning herb, but also a medicinal herb. In Western medicine, its cell-renewing effect is valued and recognized, which means that peppermint improves wound healing and can prevent scarring. Peppermint oil has a cooling property, but nevertheless promotes blood circulation, which has triggered a great deal of interest in medicine.
Its effect as a painkiller, particularly for tension headaches, has already been scientifically proven. A double-blind study has shown that 101TP3 peppermint solution has a comparable effect on headaches compared to 10mg paracetamol.
Peppermint can almost be classified as a panacea. The healing properties of peppermint are reported in many cultures. Peppermint oil is the most important essence used therapeutically.
Aroma
Grade
The perfumery counts peppermint oil among the Top notes.
Top notes
The top note describes aromas that are perceived immediately after opening the container. The top note conveys the first and often the decisive impression of a fragrance composition. They are often citrusy, green, fresh and Airy fragrances. The volatile fragrance molecules that open the door to the next fragrance phases evaporate very quickly. Already 10 - 15 minutes After application, there is hardly anything left of the top note fragrance.
You can find more interesting information on this in the article "→ World of fragrances".
Fragrance
green, herbaceous, minty
Mixes well with...
Carrier oils
Possible carrier oils depend on several criteria such as skin type and effect. Below I list some neutral carrier oils that can be used well because they are odorless and generally well tolerated.
You can find a wider selection of carrier oils in the → Aromatrix
Body, mind & soul
In the Body, Mind & Soul section, a possible therapeutic use of essential oils is described. An attempt is made to make both the Western and the Eastern perspective transparent.
The Western approach can be found under Effect and use differentiated according to body and mind & soul. For comparison, the Eastern approach describes the chakras and functional areas.
Western approach
This section is written for the aroma therapy expert:
Effect
BODY
astringent, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, expectorant, pancreas harmonizing, antiflatulent, hypertensive, intestinal stimulant, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, bile production stimulant, bile flow stimulant, vasoconstrictor, cardiotonic, insect repellent, itch relieving, head effective, strong antispasmodic, liver stimulant, stomach effective, menstrual stimulant, muscle tonic, kidney tonic, expectorant, strong analgesic, diaphoretic, salivation stimulant, uterine stimulant, digestive stimulant, vermifuge, cell regenerator
Mind & Soul
stimulating, concentration-enhancing, nerve-strengthening, invigorating, stimulating
Use
BODY
Acne, loss of appetite, asthma, pancreatic weakness, flatulence, low blood pressure, hypofunction of the pancreas, bronchitis, cholera, dermatitis, diarrhea, vomiting, colds, physical exhaustion, filamentous fungal infection, fever, flatulence, frigidity, gallstones, labor induction, labor pain, yellow fever, influenza, shingles, sore throat, urinary cystitis, palpitations, cough, impotence, sciatica, itching, laryngitis, hepatic colic, headaches, cramps, scabies, spasmodic cough, paralysis, liver weakness, liver cirrhosis, stomach pain, tonsillitis, migraine, bad breath, muscle pain, sore muscles, sinusitis, viral neuritis, renal colic, fainting, ear infection, prostatitis, rheumatism, rhinitis, shock, dizziness, tuberculosis, nausea, obesity, indigestion, dyspepsia, viral hepatitis, toothache
Mind & Soul
Mental exhaustion, neurovegetative dystonia, hysteria, lack of concentration, learning difficulties, nervous disorders, anxiety, fear of change
Eastern approach
This section is written for the TCM expert:
Peppermint oil is the main oil for circulating stagnant liver qi, as well as for transforming anger and pent-up emotions into a rational perspective.
5 elements
Element wood
Peppermint essential oil is associated with the element wood.
The element assignment of an essential oil is determined by the →Aroma profile and the direction of action. Peppermint oil has both yang and yin components. It is used as Yang in Yin because outward movements are already present in the fragrance.
Chakras
Narbel Chakra (3rd Chakra)
Peppermint essential oil is associated with the Narbel chakra (3rd chakra). However, it also has root chakra components (1st chakra) due to its association with wood and the harmonizing effect of Yin & Yang.
A detailed explanation can be found in the following article: → Etheric oils & chakras
Functional areas
Qi stagnation
- corrects the brain, corrects the mind, normalizes the yin intention, develops tolerance: Mental fatigue, fainting, absent-mindedness, convalescents with chronic exhaustion, excessive pride, feelings of inferiority
- moves the Qi, opens the exterior, dispels the wind, removes hot phlegm: Colds and flu with fever, sore throat and headaches, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, sinus congestion, dyspepsia
- clears heat, reduces inflammation: Burns, scalds, acne, boils, poison ivy/poison oak
- stops pain: rheumatic pain, headaches, toothache
- stops lactation: Excess breast milk, curdled or stagnant breast milk
- Rectifies the liver qi, calms the liver: general asthenia, frontal or occipital headache due to liver congestion, acute cholelithiasis, hepatitis, dizziness, vertigo, tremors, coma, menstrual pain before onset, PMS
- strengthens the stomach and spleen: Indigestion, nausea, bloating, flatulence, gurgling stomach, loss of appetite, intestinal colic, gastrointestinal ulcers, colitis
- freed from insects: Mosquito and gnat repellent
Main use:
Pain and tension, blocked throat
Psycho-emotional representation:
impulsive, compulsive, frustrated, depressed, repressed
Sources:
Icon by Amethyst Studio from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)
Texts are based on the following publications:
Pocket dictionary of aromatherapy by Dietrich Wabner, Verlag Systemisch Medizin, 2013
Aromatherapy with Chinese Medicine by Dennis Willmont, Willmountain Press, 2003
Applications
Say goodbye to headaches with peppermint oil
5 ELEMENTS APPLICATION
Say goodbye to headaches with peppermint essential oil - a balance from Element Wood.
