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HERB ALLEY
Peppermint
(Mentha piperita)
COMMON NAMES: Peppermint,
brandy mint, lamb mint.
MEDICINAL PART: Leaves.
DESCRIPTION: Peppermint
is a hybrid perennial plant which is mostly cultivated but also found wild
in moist soil in the eastern U.S. and Europe. The erect, square,
branching stem is tinged with reddish-purple and has opposite, dark green,
ovate to lanceolate, serrate leaves. Axillary and terminal spikes
of small, purple flowers appear from July through September. The
whole plant has the characteristic smell of menthol.
PROPERTIES AND USES:
Anodyne, antispasmodic, carminative, cholagogue, refrigerant, stomachic,
tonic. Peppermint tea or oil can be taken for nervousness, insomnia,
cramps, coughs, migraine, poor digestion, heartburn, nausea, abdominal
pains, and various problems such as headache and vomiting due to nervous
causes. Peppermint tea also makes a good substitute for coffee of
tea. In large quantites, peppermint is said to be aphrodisiac.
Externally, the leaves make a cooling and slightly anodyne application.
They can also be made into a salve or a bath additive for itching skin
conditions.
PREPERATION AND DOSAGE:
Collect the leaves on a hot, sunny day, preferably just before flowering
time.
Infusion: Steep 2 to
3 tsp leaves in 1 cup water. Take 1 1/2 to 2 cups a day, but for
no more than 8 to 12 days consecutively. After that time, wait at
least a week before resuming, or heart problems may result.
Oil: Take 3 to 4 drops
on a sugar cube with hot tea. For gas pains, take 1 or 2 drops in
half a glass of water.
Tincture: Take 10 to
50 drops, depending on age and the severity of the problem.
The Herb Book by
John Lust
