Mentha piperita.  The English name is peppermint, which is a hybrid of watermint (Mentha aqutica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata).

Part used: in Western herbology-leaves; in TCM- the aerial parts of Mentha haplocalyx.( Bo He)

Actions: (from Jeremy Ross)

1. clear Wind heat- acts as a diaphoretic to treat common cold with sore throat.  In Popular remedies in 1838, Osiander states that he found mint tea to be exceedingly valuable i the treatment of influenza."

 

2. Regulate spleen and St Qi- carminative effect to treat loss of appetite, and indigestion; Calm St Qi- anti emetic- to treat nausea and vomiting. "Has been poplar from  the days of our grandmothers for the relief of colic in the bowels, or for the stomach-ache of flatulent indigestion", W. Fernie.

 

3. regulate Intestinal Qi-carminative and spasmolytic- treats flatulence and colic and IBS. (The menthol is antispasmodic and analgesic.   But should not be given in painful bowel complaints with inflammation-pain on pressure, tongue dry, with reddened tip and edges: according to Ellingwood.  It should be given where the food tends to ferment in the stomach and bowels, as an anti-septic to prevent fermentation and promote digestion."  But Eva Graf warns that peppermint can relax the peristaltic action of the intestines so not to take right after a meal.

4. regulate Liver Qi-cholertetic-reduces bile secretions, depression and digestive disorders. Promotes bile flow, reduces liver congestion and removes accumulations.

5. from Peter Holmes: Reduces inflammation, relieves pain and repels insects.

Dietrich Gumbel says of peppermint, "can move the waters of the body through the slow-moving lymphatic ducts and interstitial spaces between tissues.  Thus, it increases the capacity of absorption of the lymphatic organs in the mesentery surrounding the intestines.  By improving the uptake of digestate, alimentary stasis is relieved....it stimulate the spleen, improving the breakdown of old red blood cells, combing the blood of impurities and increasing white cell production.  thus it has a restorative, regenerative influence on the immune system....also moves fluids into the hard-to-reach connective tissue, to relieve hot, dry, conditions of the joints and skin.  It not only strengthens connective tissue, improving its 'swellability" but improves the immune function, which is vested in this tissue.  It acts on the corium, the middle layer of the skin, the connective tissue anchor of the dermis, making it more flush with water, increasing the function in the immune cells in this area... a remedy for dried-up, atrophic skin, especially that injured by the effect of light, and for dry irritated joints."

 

LATIN NAME: Menthae Haplocalycis / Arvensis / Piperitae Hb / Fm

COMMON NAME: Mentha; Field Mint; Peppermint Hb; Mint Hb / Fm; Mentha piperita / balsamea (Peppermint) is- hybrid mint cross between watermint + spearmint); see Peppermint Oil;

PINYIN NAME: Bohe 薄荷; Boheye 薄荷叶;; Lubohe 绿薄荷 (Mint spp); Labohe 辣薄荷; Labohecao 辣薄荷草; See Bohenao + Boheyou

HERB CLASS: Release Exterior~ Cool + Acrid; Clear Wind Heat

NATURE: Cool; Aromatic; Acrid

CHANNELS: LV; LU

HAS: Dried Hb has 0.3-0.4% of volatile oil containing menthol (7-48%), menthone (20-46%), menthyl acetate (3-10%), menthofuran (1-17%) and 1,8-cineol (3-6%);

DOSE: as Dec: 2-10g dried Hb / 15-30g fresh Hb; Add late in Dec to AVOID losing its volatile oils ; as TOPICAL (Fresh Hb): qs pulped + applied

ACTIONS: Hb often used in tea and as food-flavouring agent; used in aromatherapy; peppermint aroma can enhance memory; Fl has much nectar (for bees, etc);

(1) Aromatic; Release Exterior~ Cool + Acrid; Make Sweat; Clear Heat; Clear Wind Heat*; Clear Phlegm; Clear Toxin + Disperse Binds; Antiseptic; Antivirus; Antimicrobial;

(2) Clear EPFs esp Wind Heat from head + eye, Brighten Eyes; Antipharyngitis;

(3) Clear Wind Heat; Vent Measles; Vent (Erupt) Papules / Rash / skin eruption; Ease Itch: Anodyne;

(4) Calm LV in LV Qi Depression; Disperse LV Qizhi; Move LV Yu-Dep; Tone GB~ Cholagogue; Antidepressant; Calm Spasm / Convulsion / Spasmolytic; Antilactagogue;

(5) Digestive / Aid ST; Descend Qi; Ease Emesis / Nausea;

(6) Antioxidant*; Antiagring*; Nervine; CNS Stimulant; Antiatherosclerosis*; Vasodilator~ skin; Uterus~ Tonic; Radioprotective in Cancer Radiotherapy; Anticancer*;

CLINICAL USES:

(1)  Summerheat w Fever, thirst, vertigo, oliguria, urine~ dark; Heat~ Exterior / Wind Heat Exterior Pattern + Fever + slight chill / Ganmao / flu / infections~ bacterial / viral;; headache wo sweat / Exterior Pattern of Fever~ seasonal~ early / Fever / Fever~ high w anhidrosis / wo sweat; Wind Heat + Fever~ seasonal~ early-stage w Chills~ mild, headache / migraine + pantalgia wo sweat ; Phlegm / Phlegm~ nasal;

(2)  Wind Heat* / Wind Fire Attack of head + Chills / Fever, headache, eye pain, eyes~ red, pharyngitis, ; parotitis~ epidemic etc; Wind Heat~ head + eye, vision~ poor; pharyngitis;

(3)  Wind Heat Attack of Surface + Muscle w measles / papules~ unerupted in / urticaria (rash + itch) / skin eruption / eruptive diseases~ early-stage w urticaria (rash + itch); itch; eczema esp dt Heat / Wind Heat;as TOPICAL for Wind Heat RA w inflammation / arthritis;

(4)  LV Qi Yu-Dep / Qizhi; LV Qi Yu-Dep, distension + pain of chest-rib-side / flank; GB Xu / cholestasis; GB colic ; spasm / convulsion ; lactorrhoea / milk overflow;

(5)  Digestive DysFx, SJM Disharmony w dyspepsia, emesis / nausea; motion / travel sickness; abdomen pain, bloating; dyspepsia / indigestion; Qi Ascent Counterflow w emesis / nausea / emesis in pregnancy; flatus; colic /  SI-LI colic; colitis w Phlegm / ulcer; IBS, LI~ Crohn’s; 

(6)  oxidative stress*; ageing~ premature; neurodegeneration~ age-related; memory~ poor / amnesia; CNS depression / depression;; atherosclerosis*; vasoconstriction~ skin; uterus atony; dysmenorrhagia; adverse effects of Cancer Radiotherapy; carcinogenesis; cancer

COMBOS: in some shampoos / soaps / toothpaste / skin care products;

(1) Bohe + Jinyinhua, Lianqiao, etc in Wind Heat Exterior Pattern + Fever + slight chill, headache wo sweat / Exterior Pattern of Fever~ seasonal~ early; Bohe + Jinyinhua, Mudanpi, Cangzhu, HUANGBAI for eczema esp dt Heat / Wind Heat; Bohe + Shigao in Fever~ high; Bohe + Huashi, Gancao in Summerheat + vertigo, Fever, thirst, oliguria, urine~ dark;

(2) Bohe + Jingjie, Juhua, Fangfeng, Niubangzi, Jiegeng, Gancao, etc in Wind Heat / Wind Fire Attack of head + Fever / chill, headache, eyes~ red, pharyngitis, etc; same as fine Powder blown by tube into pharynx gives great relief in Wind Heat pharyngitis; Bohe + Jinyinhua, Lianqiao, etc in Ganmao in Wind Heat + Fever~ seasonal~ early-stage w mild chills, headache + pantalgia wo sweat / headache in Wind Heat, eye pain, pharyngitis;

(3) Bohe + Lianqiao, Chantui, Niubangzi, Jingjie, Fangfeng, etc in measles / papules~ unerupted in Wind Heat Attack of Surface + Muscle / urticaria (rash + itch), etc; Bohe + Chantui, Niubangzi, etc in eruptive diseases~ early-stage w urticaria (rash + itch);

(4) Bohe + other Hbs to Calm LV in LV Qi Depression, distension + pain of chest-rib-side / flank;

(5) Bohe + other Digestive / Aid ST Hbs / Hbs to Rectify SJM in dyspepsia, emesis / nausea, etc

CAUTIONS: CAUTION in pregnancy; Uterus~ Tonic; low doses of dried Hb can be used; Antilactagogue; AVOID in lactation, except at weaning

LATIN NAME: Menthae Haplocalycis / Arvensis / Piperitae Oleum

COMMON NAME: Peppermint Oil; Mint Oil; essential oil steam-distilled from fresh Menthae piperitae / balsameae Hb (hybrid mint cross between watermint + spearmint); [Bohechun薄荷醇 (Mentholum; Menthol) is saturated, cyclic alcohol from Mint Oil / peppermint oil from Hb Menthae haplocalycis]

PINYIN NAME: Bohenao 薄荷脑; Boheyou 薄荷油; Bohesuyou 薄荷素油; See Bohe

HERB CLASS: Release Exterior~ Cool + Acrid; Clear Wind Heat

NATURE: Cool; Aromatic; Acrid

CHANNELS: ??LU

HAS: has monoterpenes; menthol (30-55%), menthone (14-32%), pulegone not >4.0%, isomenthone (2-10%), 1,8- cineole (6-14%), menthyl acetate (3-5%), menthofuran (1-9%), limonene (1-5%)) + carvone (not >1.0%). Ratio of 1,8- cineole : limonene should be greater than 2 : 1; small amounts of eucalyptol, caryophyllene and pinene;

DOSE: Oral: 0.06-0.6mL on 1st dose, then 0.02-0.2mL, BID-TID; Oral: for digestive DtsFx, 0.2-0.4mL TID, diluted / in suspensions; by Inhalation: 3-4 drops in hot water; in Lozenges: 2-10mg / lozenge; for IBS: 0.2-0.4mL TID in enteric-coated capsules; as TOPICAL: qs /  5-20% essential oil in dilute / semisolid / oily preps; 5-10% in aqueous-ethanol; nasal ointments w 1-5% crude drug

ACTIONS: food-flavouring agent; used in aromatherapy; peppermint aroma can enhance memory; actions like Bohe;

(1) Aromatic; Clear Heat / Wind Heat; Antifebrile; Clear Phlegm + Ease Cough; Expectorant; Antiseptic; Antimicrobial; Antifungal;

(2) Clear Heat / Wind Heat; Antipharyngitis;

(3) Clear Wind Heat; Cool Xue; Stimulant~ skin + mucosae; Antiinflammatory; Anodyne; Ease Itch;

(4) Cholagogue; Antispasmodic; Uterus~ Tonic;

(5) Digestive~ Aid ST; Carminative; Spasmolytic; Anodyne;

(6) Antioxidant*; Antiageing*; Calm Shen ; Antiatherosclerosis*; Anticancer*

CLINICAL USES: uses like Bohe;

(1) Heat /  Wind Heat + skin sepsis / mucosal sepsis; Fevers; Ganmao, infection~ microbial / fungal; UTI; Oral + TOPICAL use for Phlegm + cough; headache, neuralgia; URTI / respiratory inflammation / rhinitis / rhinitis~ atrophic (by Inhalation); 

(2) Heat / Wind Heat; pharyngitis;

(3) as TOPICAL as Anodyne + Antiseptic in Heat / Wind Heat / Xue Heat w skin sepsis / mucosal sepsis, dermatitis; eczema, skin pain /  itch, neuralgia; 

(4) cholestasis; GB colic / biliary colic / obstruction; icterus, diabetes; as TOPICAL to forehead + temples for headache~ tension; as TOPICAL to Calm Spasm / Convulsion for myalgia;

(5) oesophageal spasm, digestive DysFx like abdomen pain / fullness / distension + discomfort / bloat, dyspepsia / indigestion, ST pain , gastritis, ST-SI-LI colic, IBS, borborygmus, flatus, dysentery; dysmenorrhoea;

(6) neurodegeneration~ age-related; Shen upset; atherosclerosis**; carcinogenesis; cancer

COMBOS: as TOPICAL in many rubs as Anodyne / Calm Spasm / Convulsion;

enteric-coated capsule w Peppermint Oil (90 mg) + Caraway Oil (50 mg) TID for dyspepsia + ST pain;

Peppermint Oil (10% in 90% ethanol) as TOPICAL to forehead + temples is as good as Paracetamol for headache~ tension;

CAUTIONS: may cause ST DysFx in people sensitive to it; use of non-enteric-coated preps may cause dyspepsia, esp in cases w reflux oesophagitis; rare side-effects, usually dt overdose include dermatitis~ papular, headache, dyspepsia, perianal burning, bradycardia, muscle tremors, ataxia, + myalgia~ recurrent; prolonged high doses may cause encephalopathy; TOPICAL use may cause skin irritation; CI internally in ST-SI-LI inflammation / gastroenteritis / cholecystitis / LV DYsFx; may cause hypersensitivity; Uterus~ Tonic; CAUTION / AVOID in pregnancy / lactation + in children; AVOID use on face, esp nose, of infants / young children; use only enteric-coated preps in achlorhydria dt to medication w histamine H2 receptor antagonists