The Medicinal Uses of Spearmint

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

Spearmint has historically been used to alleviate headache, sore throat, nausea, flatulence, indigestion, cramps, and hirsutism.  It works much like peppermint, but is substantially milder and is thus preferred for children.  The leaves are chewed to freshen breath and as a garnish.

I spent a lot of time researching spearmint, just as I do all the herbs, and well, everything else.  And honestly, it's just not used that much.  Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs:  A Beginner's Guide is the only book I have with any reference to it.  She really likes it for using with children.  There is precious little info online as well, though some research is being done regarding its anti-fungal and antibacterial effects in food preservation.  It makes a nice tea, but so does peppermint, which has a lot more uses.  And it is really invasive.  For all these reasons, if I were planting a medicinal herb garden, I would not plant spearmint.  It's not that it's bad, but just that if my space and time are limited, I'm going to go with what's going to be of most benefit to my family and me.  Spearmint isn't it. 

Harvesting:  Harvest the leaves just as the plant is beginning to flower. 

Studies have shown that spearmint essential oil is active against Staphylococcus aureus, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pasteurella multocida, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium solani, and Candida albicans.  The essential oil shows great promise as a means of inhibiting mold and bacterial growth in foods. 

Essential oil:  Dilute a few drops in a carrier oil and rub over stomach to ease digestive discomfort.  Inhale the aroma for help with fatigue and mental stress.  Use a few drops in bath water to relieve fever, stress, and sore muscles.  A few drops may also be added to lotion and used topically to reduce swelling.

Tea: Spearmint tea sweetened with sugar or honey helps calm nausea and upset stomachs in children over the age of two years.  Spearmint tea twice a day seems to have anti-androgenous effects in females with hirsutism (coarse hair growing on the face).  Initial studies showed spearmint tea taken twice per day for thirty days reduced testosterone levels in women with hirsutism, especially when associated with polycystic ovary disease.  Researchers agreed that longer studies were needed to show conclusive results.

Links to related posts:
Peppermint 
Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs review 

For further reading:
(All articles accessed 11 March 2019)

http://naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/m/mentha-spicata=spearmint.php (general article on spearmint uses)
https://articles.mercola.com/herbal-oils/spearmint-oil.aspx (general article on spearmint uses)
http://www.ipcbee.com/vol15/10-U00041.pdf (antifungal use on plants)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19585478 (polycystic ovarian syndrome)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964830514000109 (antifungal, insecticidal)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11549238 (antibacterial)
 

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com

1 november 2020

The Medicinal Uses of Peppermint

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.



Peppermint has flavored or scented gums and candies, desserts, tea, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo, and probably loads of other products forever.  Have you ever noticed how many cold and cough and nausea remedies (Pepto-Bismol, Vicks, NyQuil, Listerine, etc.) contain menthol--one of the primary active constituents in peppermint?  There's a reason for that--it works!  Peppermint is in the same plant family as lavender, spearmint, catmint (catnip), and rosemary.  It's one of the easiest medicinal plants to grow; in fact, some would say that it is too easy.  If it is not well contained, it will spread everywhere.

Peppermint leaves and flowers are best harvested just after flowers begin to emerge. 

Numerous studies have shown that peppermint is antibacterial, insecticidal, and anti-parasitic.  Historically, peppermint has been used to treat not only gastrointestinal upsets, but also tuberculosis, colds, and headaches.  Fresh peppermint leaves are chewed to freshen breath; however, peppermint is most frequently taken in the form of tea or essential oils.

Fresh leaves.  Chewing on fresh peppermint leaves freshens the breath because the peppermint leaves possess antibacterial properties, i.e., they kill bacteria.  Bacteria produce a bad smell.  So bad breath goes away when you chew peppermint leaves.

Infusion.  Steep peppermint leaves or a tea bag in boiling water for 5-10 minutes.  Add sugar or honey to taste.  Drink peppermint tea to:

• relieve headaches and migraines;
• relieve nausea and vomiting;
• relieve menstrual and muscle cramps;
• soothe the respiratory tract and ease cold and flu congestion;
• promote sleep;
• relieve bloating, indigestion, and ulcers due to H. pylori;
• reduce fever.

Essential oil:  Sometimes you need the medicinal effects of peppermint to be a bit more concentrated; after all, you can only drink so much tea.  And that's where essential oils come in.  As essential oils are going to be rather difficult to produce in a collapsed society, plan to acquire a good supply of this valuable item from a reputable source.

• Aromatherapy/steam inhalation:
• stress and nausea--put several drops in a diffuser;
• colds and influenza, for clearing airways--add 10-12 drops to a pot of boiling water and then inhale the steam for 10 minutes;
• though not as effective, in the above situations if unable to use a diffuser, inhale directly from the bottle or rub a drop or two of oil onto your wrists and inhale as needed;
• tuberculosis--as an adjunct to other therapies, put 10 drops in a pot of boiling water and inhale the steam for 20 minutes each day for 2 months.
• Externally:
• nausea--mix 1-2 drops with 1-2 drops of carrier oil and rub behind the ears to prevent nausea;
• tension headache--mix a 1-2 drops into 2 drops of carrier oil and rub a drop on the temples for relief;
• upset stomach and heartburn--dilute 2-3 drops in 1 teaspoon of carrier oil and massage into the stomach;
• colds--dilute 2-3 drops in 1 teaspoon of carrier oil and massage into the chest;
• diabetic neuropathy--dilute a few drops in a carrier oil and massage into the afflicted areas.
• Internally:  Peppermint essential oil is generally recognized as safe when taken internally in very small doses, about 2-3 drops in a carrier oil or in water.
• heartburn, upset stomach--1 drop of essential oil, 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of honey to a glass of warm water and drink;
• asthma, seasonal allergies--2 drops in a glass of water;
• sore throat gargle--2 drops in a glass of warm water to soothe the pain of a sore throat and to kill bacteria.  For added relief, add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• irritable bowel syndrome.  For those concerned about nuclear radiation exposure, a few studies have shown that peppermint oil may provide some protection from radiation.  So far, the studies have been limited to mice and have shown that the peppermint needs to be taken before exposure to radiation. 

Contraindications for internal use:  Because peppermint can relax the sphincter muscle between the stomach and esophagus, it should not be used by people with GERD.  Do not use if you are taking iron supplements or cyclosporins, if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure, or if you are taking medications to reduce or suppress stomach acid production.  Do not use in children under the age of 12.  (Children may use spearmint the same as adults use peppermint;  spearmint is a close relative, but much gentler in its actions.)

Cautions:  Doses above 500 mg can irritate the mouth and stomach and produce a heartburn-like reaction.  May cause skin rashes, allergic reaction, or other irritation.

Other uses:  Peppermint essential oil is used in conjunction with other oils as a mosquito repellent and a pesticide.  Interestingly, it is also used in plumbing and construction to test for leaks by detecting the odor.

Links to related posts:
The Herbal Medic (book review)  
The HomeGrown Herbalist (book review)   
Anti-Nausea Medications   
Spearmint   
Peppermint-Lavender-Rosemary Headache Balm   
Catnip   

For further reading:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16121521 (general review of published articles)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29372567 (overall review of published articles)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23011739 (protection from gamma radiation)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13678235 (virucidal effect on herpes simplex 1 and 2)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23416804 (irritable bowel syndrome)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26319955 (irritable bowel syndrome)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3403674/ (infantile colic)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28562281 (functional abdominal pain in children)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17427617 (irritable bowel syndrome)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17653649 (gastric emptying; gastroparesis)
https://draxe.com/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits/
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/14/peppermint-health-benefits.aspx\
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits-effects#1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12048423 (postherpetic neuralgia)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17128800 (tuberculosis)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11201253 (hay fever)


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15 november 2020

15 january 2024