Peppermint did not originally occur in the wild, the plant is a cross between different species of mint. Today, peppermint is distributed mainly in North America and Europe. The drug is obtained exclusively from vegetatively propagated crops, mainly from the USA, Spain, Bulgaria, Thuringia and Bavaria.
Peppermint: use in herbal medicine.
In herbal medicine, on the one hand, the fresh or dried peppermint leaves (Menthae piperitae folium), and on the other hand, the essential oil (Menthae piperitae aetheroleum) obtained by steam distillation from the flowering aerial parts are used.
Characteristics of peppermint
Peppermint, which is widely used today, is a hybrid of several species of mint. The normally hairless plant can grow up to 90 cm tall. The stems are often reddish to purple, and the pale red to purple flowers are in elongated terminal inflorescences.
When the cross-opposite leaves are rubbed between the fingers, they have a menthol fragrance. One species of mint, lemon mint, is commonly used as a flavoring in the perfume industry.
Leaves as a medicine
The drug consists of thin and very brittle, egg-shaped leaves that are between 3 and 9 cm long. The leaf veins are pinnatifid and often have purple undertones. Under a magnifying glass, the glandular scales can also be seen as yellow dots.
How peppermint smells and tastes.
Peppermint gives off a very intense and characteristic menthol scent. The taste of peppermint leaves is spicy and very aromatic. The leaves have a cooling effect on mucous membranes and skin.
Due to its intense smell and taste, peppermint is a popular plant in the food industry, which uses it, for example, to flavor chewing gum or candies.
