Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint Essential Oil. Peppermint A hybrid perennial plant; 1-3 feet tall; the erect, square, branching stem is tinged with reddish-purple (not green as in spearmint) and has opposite, dark green, ovate to lanceo-late, serrate leaves. Auxiliary and terminal spikes of small, purple (violet) flowers in loose, interrupted terminal spikes, appear from July to frost. The entire plant has a very characteristic odor, due to the volatile oil present in all its parts, which when applied to the tongue has a hot, aromatic taste at first, and afterwards produces a sensation of cold in the mouth caused by the menthol it contains. The whole plant has the characteristic smell of menthol. The plant is found throughout Europe, in moist situations, along stream banks and in waste lands, and is not infrequent In damp places in England, but is not a common native plant, and probably is often an escapee from cultivation. In America it is probably even more common as an escapee than Spearmint, having long been known and grown in gardens.
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| Botanical Name: | Mentha piperita L. (pro sp.) [aquatica × spicata]. |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Synonyms: | Brandy mint, balm mint. |
| See Also: | |
| Parts Used: | Flowering Herb |
| Extraction Method: | Steam Distillation. |
| Appearance: | Pale greenish-yellow to almost colourless. |
| Aroma Description: | Refreshing, minty, characteristic of peppermint. |
| Perfume note: | |
| Consistancy: | Thin |
| Strength of Initial Aroma: | |
| Blends well with: | |
| Historical Uses: | Peppermint was prized in Japan and China and has been found in Egyptian pyramids, traditionally used for stomach complaints especially indigestion, the leaves were drunk as a tea. |
| Modern Uses: | Used for colds, flu, sore throat, laryngitis, gas and mild digestive disorders. Peppermint oil is the most extensively used of all the volatile oils, both medicinally and commercially, used in fresh, menthol note flavours (ex.oral care products, chewing gum, medicinal); in menthol note fragrance compounds for all purposes. |
| Cautions: | Non toxic, non irritant (except in concentration), Possible sensitizing. Keep away from the eyes. |
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