Peppermint Piperita Essential Oil

BOTANICAL NAME:

Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil

EXTRACTION  METHOD:

Steam distillation from flowers and leaves

SUGGESTED USE & BENEFITS:

Essential peppermint oil is one of the world’s oldest medicines.  There is a record of its use in Greek and Roman times, where it was popular in remedies for digestive ailments. 

The peppermint plant originated in the Mediterranean but is now cultivated widely worldwide, including the UK.  The peppermint is harvested just before flowering and the stem, leaves and unopened flowers are all steam distilled for the oil extraction.

Its main constituents, menthol and menthone, give peppermint it's cooling, analgesic (pain-relieving) properties.  It has the ability to dilate capillaries and increase blood flow, thereby stimulating sensory nerve endings. 

Applied in a massage blend, bath or steam inhalation, it is renowned for treating headaches, migraine, dry coughs, bronchitis and nervous stress, as well as decongesting the sinuses.

BENEFITS & COMMON USES:

Mood-wise, it is clearing and uplifting for the senses and generally energising.  In a diffuser or spray, its menthol aroma can cleanse a stuffy room.   Its clear refreshing aroma and cleansing characteristics make it a popular ingredient in soaps, shampoos and toothpaste.  As an ingredient in edible items, the stimulating menthol flavour is at one with the aroma – as, with many essential oils, two or more senses are simultaneously activated.

Scientific studies, rather than just folklore, have proved its ability to ease spasms in the digestive tract and it is widely used in treatments for irritable bowel syndrome.

• Analgesic
• Anaesthetic
• Antiseptic
• Antispasmodic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Astringent
• Carminative (prevents/relieves gas in the digestive tract)
• Expectorant and decongestant
• Febrifuge (reduces fever)
• Stimulant
• Vermifuge (expels intestinal parasites without harming the patient)
• Promotes the flow of bile from the gall bladder to the duodenum
• Stimulates sweating
• Stimulates digestion
• Beneficial for the nervous system
• Emmenagogue (regulates menstruation)

PRECAUTIONS:

Can cause irritation to the mucus membranes and should be kept well away from the eyes. Can cause skin irritation in high concentration.  Do not use with homeopathic medicine.  It should be avoided during pregnancy.

CERTIFICATIONS:

Origin: India

Colour: Colourless to Pale Yellow

Aroma: Sharp, Refreshing, Minty