Mentha arvensis Linn.: A review article

Abstract

Mentha arvensis has been used as analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative in Unani system of
medicine. In this article, active constituents, antibacterial, antifungal and pharmacological activity of M.
arvensis has been described herewith.

Full text

Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 5(18), pp. 4499-4503, 16 September, 2011
Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/JMPR
ISSN 1996-0875 ©2011 Academic Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Mentha arvensis Linn.: A review article
M. Akram1, M. Uzair2, Nadia Shamshad Malik3, Arshad Mahmood4, Naila Sarwer5,
Asadullah Madni6 and H. M. Asif6
1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Hamdrad University Karachi, Pakistan.
2Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Pakistan.
3Department of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Islamabad Campus, Pakistan.
4Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan.
5Cholistan Institute of Desert Studies, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
6Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicine, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
Accepted 17 May, 2011
Mentha arvensis has been used as analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative in Unani system of
medicine. In this article, active constituents, antibacterial, antifungal and pharmacological activity of M.
arvensis has been described herewith.
Key words: Active constituents, antibacterial, antifungal and pharmacological activity of Mentha arvensis.
INTRODUCTION
Mentha arvensis Linn.
Tibbi name: Pudina
English name: Marsh mint
Botanical name: Mentha arvensis
Urdu name: Podina, pudina
Family: Labiatae
Common name: Field mint, corn mint, podina
Part used: Leaves, flowering tops and stems.
Objective
To review the published literature on M. arvensis.
METHODOLOGY
Relevant articles were searched using the terms Mentha arvensis,
active constituents, medicinal and pharmacological activity.
Description
Plants always have great importance in many cultures. Human
beings are users of plants for their basic requirements like feeding,
clothing, sheltering, hunting and nursing. As source of medicines,
plants have formed the basis for sophisticated traditional systems
*Corresponding author. E-mail: makram_0451@hotmail.com.
Tel: 92-021-6440083. Fax: 92-021-6440079.
and c ontinue providing mankind with new remedies. M. arvensis is
a branched, strongly aromatic herb that stems up to 40 cm long
with ascending terminal branches (Figure 2). Leaves are elliptic to
oblong-ovate, 1.5 to 2 cm long, short-petioled, toothed margins,
rounded or blunt tipped. Hairy purplish to light blue axillary flowers
(Ellis et al., 1970). The plant is used to tr eat liver and spleen
diseases, asthma and jaundice. The oil yield is 5% by distillation of
leaves, which contain 40 to 50% menthol. The oil is antiseptic,
carminative, refrigerant, stimulant and diuretic. Menthol is used in
medicine for stomach disorders and in ointments for headache. The
infusion of leaves is used in indigestion and rheumatic pains
(Rathish et al., 2007).
Distribution
M. arvensis originated in Eurasia. It is the only member of this
family that grows well in subtropical regions. It now grows in North
and Central America along the banks of streams and brooks, and in
gardens (Ram et al., 2005). The plant is native to the temperate
regions of Europe, western and central Asia (eastern Siberia and
east of the Himalayas). It is commonly known as pudina in Hindi.
Cultivation details
As an easily grown plant, it succ eeds in most soils and situations so
long as the soil is not too dry. This species tolerates much drier
conditions than other members of the genus. It prefers a slightly
acid soil and grows well in heavy clay s oils. A sunny position is best
for production of essential oils, but it als o succeeds in partial shade.
Plants are hardy to at least -15°c.
Most mints have fairly aggressive spreading roots and, unless
you have the space to let them roam, they need to be restrained by
some means such as planting them in containers that are buried in
the soil. The whole plant has a very strong scent of peppermint;
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. It is also

4500 J. Med. Plant. Res.
Figure 1. Mentha arvensis flower.
Figure 2. Mentha arvensis plant.
polymorphic. The flowers are very attractive to bees and butterflies
(Figure 1). A good companion plant for growing near brassicas and
tomatoes, helping to deter insect pests.
Members of this genus are r arely if ever, troubled by browsing
deer. Japanese mint (M. arvensis) is one of the important aromatic
plants cultivated in India. Recently, the cultivation of Japanese mint
has also been taken up by the farmers of Madhya Pradesh (Pandey
et al., 2000).
Active constituents
Menthol, menthone, isomenthone, limonene, neomenthol, methyl
acetate, beta-caryopyllene, piperitone, alpha- and beta-pipene,
tannins, flavonoids. The main constituents of oil are 4.5 to 10%
esters- Menthyl acetate and 15 to 20% of ketones. M. arvensis
yields 70 to 90% of menthol. The other components found are
phellandrene, cineol piperitone and sesquiterpene.
Phytochemical
Irrespective of the plant species, the phytochemicals present in the
various species of Mentha are the same while their ratios may alter.
Mint plants contain over 40 distinct chemical compounds.
The mint plants c ontain the flavonoids acacetin, chrysoeriol,
diosmin, eriocitrin (eriodictoyl-7-o-rutinoside), hesperidin,
hesperidoside, isorhoifolin, linarin, luteolin, menthoside, methyl
rosmarinate, rutin, tilianine, narirutin, and nodifloretin. The phenolic
acids present are c affeic acid, lithospermic acid, rosmarinic acid,
protocatechuic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, phytosterols, β-
sitosterol, and daucosterol; the anthraquinones aloe-emodin,
chrysophanol, emodin, and tannins are the other compounds
present (Rastogi and Mehrotra, 1991).
Mint in traditional medicine
Peppermint is widely known to r elieve digestive ailments and is a
popular remedy in the various traditional and folk medicines in
Europe, China, Arabia, and the Indian subcontinent. The leaves are
carminative and are used to treat digestive disorders such as
dyspepsia ( e.g. spastic complaints of the upper gastrointestinal
tract), bacillary dysentery, flatulence, gastritis, and enteritis. It is
also used as a cholagogue, emmenagogue, vermifuge, to enhance
lactation, and as a sedative. It has antifungal and antibacterial
activity (Tables 1 and 2). The leaves are useful in the treatment of
bronchitis, diabetes, diarrhea, fevers, hypertension, jaundice,
nausea, pain, respiratory, and urinary tract infections (DRUGDEX,
1999; WHO, 2004).
RESEARCH STUDY
Phytochemical prospection and antimicrobial activity
of Mentha arvensis
Chemical composition of M. arvensis leaves was
determined and its in vitro antimicrobial activity was
investigated. For this purpose, ethanole extract of M.
arvensis leaves was used to investigate its in vitro
antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella flexineri, Klebsiella
pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. On
phytochemical analysis, it was found that M. arvensis
leaves contain tannin, flavones, flavonols, xantones,
flavonols, flavonones and steroids. Its antibacterial
activity against S. aureus was highly significant. In this
study it was evaluated that M. arvensis has antimicrobial
activity which justify its use in traditional medicine in
infectious diseases (Eidla et al., 2009).
Radioprotective effect of M. arvensis
A study was done to evaluate the radioprotective effect of
M. arvensis (mint) on the survival of mice exposed to
various doses of whole-body gamma radiation. It was
concluded that mint extract provides protection against
the radiation-induced sickness and mortality and the
optimum protective dose of 10 mg/kg is safe from the
point of drug-induced toxicity (Jagetia et al., 2002).
Fungitoxic and insecticidal efficacy of M. arvensis
In one study, antifungal and insecticidal effect of M.

Table 1. Antibacterial activity of volatile constituents of
essential oils from Mentha arvensis (Pandey et al., 2010).
S/N Organism Growth inhibition (%)
1 B. pumilus 100
2 B. subtilis 100
3 E. coli 100
4 K. pneumoniae 100
5 P. aeruginosa 100
6 S. aureus 100
7 S. typhi 91.6
Table 2. Antifungal activity of volatile constituents of
essential oils from Mentha arvensis (Pandey et al.,
2010).
S/N Organism Growth inhibition (%)
1 A. niger 83.6
2 A. flavus 90.0
3 C. albicans 100
arvensis was evaluated. The Mentha EO showed potent
fungitoxic and insecticidal efficacy and it was concluded
that it may be recommended as a plant-based
preservative in the management of fungal and insect
infestation of chickpea and other pulses during storage
(Kumar et al., 2009).
Pharmacological activity
M. arvensis and Helminthiasis
The clinical study was conducted on Kemol that contains
different medicinal herbs including M. arvensis, used as
antihelmintic drug in intestinal worm infestation. Study
was conducted in Shifa ul Mulk Memorial Hospital,
Hamdard University, Karachi. The drug was prescribed to
50 patients between ages of 5 to 15 years. The selected
drug was administered to attain a successful response to
M. arvensis. Herbal formulation Kemol was administered
to 50 patients. Clinical study of M. arvensis shows that it
exhibits the anti-helmintic effects. It was concluded that
Kemol is remarkably effective for the treatment of
intestinal worms infestation (Ibrahim, 2010).
M. arvensis extract
(1) Study of mint extract on mice showed benefit of
pretreatment on mice with reduction in the severity of
symptoms of radiation sickness and mortality (Ganesh et
al., 2002).
(2) Study of essential oils and ethanolic extracts of
Akram et al. 4501
leaves/ roots of 35 medicinal plants in Brazil screened for
anti-Candida activity. M. arvensis was one of 13 essential
oils that showed anti-candidal activity (Holetz et al.,
2002).
(3) Study of aqueous extract solution in male mice
caused inhibition of fertility while maintaining normal
sexual behaviour. All induced effects returned to
normalcy within 30 days of withdrawal of 60-day
treatment (Sharma et al., 2002).
(4) M. arvensis is reputed for its strong uterotonic activity,
and the ingestion of hydro-alcoholic mixture of the leaves
is purposely used to terminate pregnancy. A uterotonic
fraction of M. arvensis (UM-fraction) was tested for
antifertility effect in rats. Subcutaneous administration of
the UM-fraction to rats pregnant from day 1 to day 10
caused a significant interruption in pregnancy. The effect
was pronounced during the post-implantation period. At
the effective dose, the UM-fraction did not exhibit
significant estrogenic or antigonadotropic activities.
However, it enhanced the estrogenic effect of estradiol
when administered concurrently (Kanjanapothi et al.,
1981).
(4) A study was done to examine the antiulcerogenic
effects of various extracts of M. arvensis Linn. on acid,
ethanol and pylorus ligated ulcer models in rats and mice.
As a conclusion, it was found that various extracts of M.
arvensis Linn. have protective effect against acid
secretion and gastric ulcers in ibuprofen plus pyloric
ligation, HCl induced and ethanol-induced ulcer models
(Londonkar et al., 2009).
Medicinal uses
Carminative, stimulant, stomachic, aromatic, antiseptic,
antispasmodic, sudorific, emmenagogue (Jamal et al.,
2006). Pudina, widely acclaimed as carminative digestive
and aromatic is valued as a stimulant, expectorant, anti-
spasmodic killer of intestinal worms and a mildly
analgesic herb. Pudina also has several amazing
medicinal properties. The entire plant is antibacterial,
antifibrile and antifungal (Gupta et al., 2002). It yields an
essential oil and menthol which exert, through their rapid
evaporation, slightly anaesthetic, and anodyne local
effect. It is effective in headache, rhinitis, cough sore
throat, colic, prurigo and vomiting. Menthol obtained from
this is used in balms. India is emerging as the largest
producer (70%) of menthol mint oil in the world
(Srivastava et al., 2002). It is also used as flavoring agent
in culinary preparations. It is well known as a cardiac
tonic in pharmaceutical preparations. It is a good blood
cleanser. Due to its antiseptic (Varma et al., 2001) and
anti-bacterial property, it can be used in swollen gums,
mouthwash or mouth ulcers and toothache. The
Commission E approved internal use of mint oil for
flatulence, functional gastrointestinal and gallbladder
disorders, catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract, and

4502 J. Med. Plant. Res.
external use for myalgia and neuralgic ailments. Mint and
its oil are used in China for treating indigestion, nausea,
sore throat, diarrhea, colds, and headaches (Campell et
al., 1973; Blumenthal, 1998).
Ethnobotanical uses
Today, peppermint is preferred in the West, while the
Chinese prefer to use field mint and have done so for at
least a thousand years to treat fevers, flu, colds,
nosebleeds, diseases of the nose and throat, snake and
insect bites, and nervous disorders in children. In China,
the leaves are often added to salads and vegetable
dishes. In Djakarta, mint grows wild and used for
headaches and colds. The leaves are ground with a bit of
lime and put on the temples as a poultice to relieve
throbbing headaches or are brewed for serious coughs.
In New Zealand, mint is used as a tonic and to treat
colds, flu, headaches, colic, gas, and nausea. Oil of
peppermint is put on burns to relieve the pain and, when
taken on a regular basis, dissolves gallstones. In India,
mint is used to tone the stomach, stimulate the mind and
body, rid the intestines of gas, and relieve muscle
spasms (Pandey, 2003). There, chutney is not just a
condiment, but also a way of taking medicinal herbs. Mint
is added to fruit chutneys to be taken as a tonic with
every meal. The western practice of using mustard and
ketchup came from the Indian chutneys, but these
certainly do not possess any of the healthful qualities that
the Indian chutneys contain.
The Arabs use mint for many ailments, including skin
diseases and as a general tonic. They are also one of the
few nations who believed that mint was a tonic for the
mind as well as the stomach.
Industrial uses
Mentha (mint) was used as medicinal herb in ancient
times, but menthol crystals are still used in different
pharmaceutical products and cosmetics as antiseptic,
stimulant and inhibitor.
It gives minty flavor to various food products. It is also
used in oral products e.g. tooth paste and mouth
fresheners due to its physiological cooling effect.
Pakistan spends billion of rupees in importing menthol
crystals for industrial uses. Extensively used as fragrance
component in soaps, detergents, cosmetics and
perfumes, toothpastes, and industrial fragrances (Alvi et
al., 2001).
Caution
Peppermint appears to be quite safe when used at
normal dosages in healthy adults (Spindler, 1992). Mint
oil is not safe for infants and children, especially when
applied around the nose, as it can cause serious
breathing problems. The oil should not be used by
pregnant (Shah et al., 2009; Sharma et al., 2001), breast-
feeding women and people with liver disease or damage,
asthma and gall bladder conditions, like inflammation,
gallstones or a blocked bile duct. When applied directly
on the skin, mint oil can allergic skin reactions, flushing,
headache and vocal cord spasms.
DISCUSSION
Medicinal plants continue to be an important therapeutic
aid for alleviating the ailments of humankind. The search
for eternal health and longevity and for remedies to
relieve pain and discomfort drove early man to explore
his immediate natural surroundings and led to the use of
many plants, animal products, and minerals, etc. and the
development of a variety of therapeutic agents.
Today, there is a renewed interest in traditional medicine
and an increasing demand for more drugs from plant
sources. This revival of interest in plant-derived drugs is
mainly due to the current widespread belief that “green
medicine” is safe and more dependable than the costly
synthetic drugs, many of which have adverse side effects
(Bhattacharjee et al., 1998).
Menthol mint/corn mint/Japanese mint (M. arvensis L.)
is commercially cultivated in tropical and subtropical
climates. The oil, an oil isolate and a by-product [menthol
and dementholized oil (DMO), respectively] of this plant
have the highest share in the global mint trades
(Srivastava et al., 2002).
In one study, Mentha essential oil showed potent
fungitoxic and insecticidal efficacy and may be
recommended as a plant-based preservative in the
management of fungal and insect infestation of chickpea
and other pulses during storage (Ashok et al., 2009). M.
arvensis showed antimicrobial activity against
Streptococcus mutans, S. aureus, Streptococcus mitis,
and Candida albicans. M. arvensis. showed
concentration–dependent activity against all the tested
micro-organisms with the zone of inhibition ranging from
12 to 24 mm at various concentrations (Ramasubramania
et al., 2010; Duarte et al., 2005).
Conclusion
The pharmacological activities as carminative, stimulant,
stomachic, aromatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic,
antihelmintic and for the treatment of intestinal worms
have been documented. Although it exerts effects on
liver, it exhibits hepatprotective activities and is involved
in intestinal worm therapy. In conclusion M. arvensis
have wide range of medicinal uses and can be used
either as single drug or compound drugs to treat different
ailments.

REFERENCES
DRUGDEX (1999). Drug Evaluations. P eppermint. Greenwood Village,
Colorado: Thomsen Greenwood Village, Colorado, USA: Thomson
micromedex Inc.
WHO (2004). Menthae Piperitae, Monographs on Selected Medicinal
Plants - Vol. 2 Geneva Switzerland, Department of Essential Drugs
and Other Medicines, W orld Health Organization, pp. 188-205.
Alvi MN, Ahmad S, Rehman K (2001). Preparation of Menthol Crystals
from Mint (Mentha arvens is), Int. J. Agric. Biol., 3(4): 527-528.
Ashok K, Ravindra S, Priyanka S, Amit K, Nawal K (2009). Use of
essential oil from Mentha arvensis L. to control storage moulds and
insects in stored chickpea, 89(15): 2643-2649.
Bhattacharjee SK (1998). Handbook of Medicinal Plants. Pointer Pub,
Jaipur-03, India; pp. 1-6.
Blumenthal M (1998). The Complete G erman Commission E
Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American
Botanical Council. Austin TX.
Campbell H, Cline W, Evans M, Lloyd J, Peck AW (1973). Comparison
of the effects of dexamphetamine and 1-benzylpiperazine in former
addicts’, Eur. J. Clin. Pharm., 6: 70-176.
Duarte M, Figueira GM, Sartoratto A, Rehder VL, Delarmelina C (2005).
Anti-candida activity of brazilian medicinal plants. J.
Ethnopharmacol., 28:97(2): 305-311.
Eidla N, Fabiola R, Adriana C, J ose C (2009). Phytochemical
prospection, toxicity and antimicrobial activity of Mentha arvensis
(labiatae) from Northeast of Brazil. J. Pharmacogn., 1(3): 210-212.
Ellis BE, Towers GH (1970). Biogenesis of rosmarinic acid in Mentha.
Biochem. J., 118: 291-297.
Ganesh C, Manjeshwar S (2002). Influence of the Leaf Extract of
Mentha arvensis Linn. (Mint) on the Survival of Mice Exposed to
Different Doses of Gamma Radiation, 178(2): 91-98.
Gupta ML, Prasad A, Ram M, Kumar S (2002). Effects of the
vesiculararbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus fasciculatum
on the essential oil yield related cultivars of menthol mint (Mentha
arvensis) under field conditions. Bioresour. Technol., 81: 77-79.
Holetz FB, Pessini GL, Sanches NR, Cortez DA, Nakamura CV, Filho
BP (2002). Screening of some plants used in the Brazilian folk
medicine for the treatment of infectious diseases, 97(7): 1027-1031.
Ibrahim KM (2010). Clinical evaluation of herbal formulation f or the
treatment of intestinal worms, M. Phil Thesis.
Jagetia GC, Baliga MS (2002). Influence of the leaf extract of Mentha
arvensis Linn. (mint) on the survival of mice exposed to different
doses of gamma radiation, Radiat. Oncol., 178(2): 91-98.
Akram et al. 4503
Jamal A, Siddiqui A, T ajuddin A, Jafri MA (2006). A review on gastric
ulcer remedies used in Unani System of medicine. Nat. Prod. Rad., 5:
153-159.
Kanjanapothi D, Smitasiri Y, Panthong A, T aesotikul T, Rattanapanone
V (1981). Postcoital antif ertility effect of Mentha arvensis. Intern.
Reprod. Health J. Contracep., 24(5): 559-567.
Kumar AS, Ravindra S, Priyanka S, Amit K, Nawal K (2009). Use of
essential oil from Mentha arvensis L. to control storage moulds and
insects in stored chickpea. J. Sci. Food Agric., 89: 2519-2526.
Londonkar RL, Poddar PV (2009). Studies on activity of various extracts
of Mentha arvensis Linn. against drug induced gastric ulcer in
mammals. World J. Gastrointest. Oncol., 15: 1(1): 82-88.
Solanum surratense, extracts in dental c aries. J. Pharm. Res., 3(1):
21-23.
Rathish N, Sumitra VC (2007). Antibacterial Activities of Some
Medicinal Plants of the Western Region of India, Turk. J. Biol., 31:
231-236.
Rastogi RP, Mehrotra BN (1991). Compendium of Indian medicinal
plants, 3. New Delhi: CDRI and PID.
Shah GM, Khan MA, Ahmad M, Zafar M, Khan AA (2009). Observations
on Antifertility and Abortifacient Herbal Drugs. Afr. J. Biotechnol.,
8(9): 1959-1964.
Sharma N, Jocob D (2001). Antifertility Investigation and Toxicological
Screening of the Petroleum Ether Extract of the Leaves of Mentha
Arvensis Linn in Male Albino Mice. J. Ethnopharmacol., 75: 5-12.
Sharma N, Jacob D (2002). Assessment of reversible contraceptive
efficacy of methanol extract of Mentha arvensis L. leaves in male
albino mice. J. Ethnopharmacol., 80(1): 9-13.
Spindler P (1992). Subchronic toxicity study of peppermint oil in rats.
Toxicol. Lett., 62: 215-220.
Srivastava RK, Singh AK, Kalra A (2002). Characteristics of menthol
mint Mentha arvensis cultivated on industrial sc ale in the Indo-
Gangetic plains. Ind. Crops Prod., 15: 189-198.
Varma J, Dubey NK (2001). Efficacy of essential oils of Caesulia
axillaris and Mentha arvensis against some storage pests causing
biodeterioration of food commodities. Int. J. Food Microbiol., 68: 207-
210.