PROPERTIES OF MENTHA PIPERITA: A BRIEF REVIEW

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PROPERTIES OF MENTHA PIPERITA: A BRIEF REVIEW
Silvia Cristina Cerini Trevisan1, Aline Pereira Paes Menezes1, Sandra Maria Barbalho1*,2,
Élen Landgraf Guiguer1,2
1Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Faculty of Food Technology of Marília (FATEC), Av. Castro Alves, 62,
Marília 17506-000, SP, Brazil.
2Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Marília, Av. Higino Muzzi Filho
1001, Marília 15525-902, SP, Brazil.
Article Received on 03/12/2016 Article Revised on 24/12/2016 Article Accepted on 13/01/2017
INTRODUCTION
Herbal medicinal compounds are used all over the world
as the most natural way to intake of phytochemicals. The
use of natural products that are rich in bioactive
substances is growing along with the demand for plants
containing wide range of antioxidant properties and
bioactive molecules capable of neutralizing free radicals
slowing the progress of many chronic diseases associated
with oxidative stress.[1-4]
Among the diversity of plants, Mentha piperita
(Lamiaceae family) is one of the herbs most widely used
worldwide, with a long history of safe use in medicinal
preparations. Its leaf is used as a remedy for common
cold, inflammation of the mouth, pharynx, liver, as well
as disorders in the gastrointestinal tract such as nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, flatulence and dyspepsia. It
is also used as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-
inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic.[5-13] plant is known
for having several phytochemicals, including
polyphenols that are highly effective antioxidants and are
less toxic than the synthetic ones. This property makes it
of great interest to the Food Industry, since the phenolic
compounds retard the oxidative degradation of lipids
improving the quality and nutritional value of food.[2-3]
It is also of great interest for Medicine due to its
medicinal activities as antinociceptive, anti-
inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
The presence of flavonoids such as eriocitrin, narirutin,
hesperidin, luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, isorhoifolin,
diosmin, rosmarinic acid, and 5, 7-dihydroxycromone-7-
O-rutinoside exert anti-allergic effects.[14-15] Figure 1
shown the main properties of this plant.
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WORLD JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL
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*Corresponding Author: Dr. Sandra Maria Barbalho
Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Faculty of Food Technology of Marília (FATEC), Av. Castro Alves, 62, Marília 17506-000, SP,
Brazil.
ABSTRACT
Among several plants, Mentha piperita is one of the herbs most widely used worldwide, with a long history of safe
use in medicinal preparations. Its leaf is used as a remedy for common cold, inflammation of the mouth, pharynx,
liver, as well as disorders in the gastrointestinal tract such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, flatulence and
dyspepsia. This plant possess polyphenols that are highly effective antioxidants and are less toxic than the synthetic
ones. This property makes it of great interest to the Food Industry, since the phenolic compounds retard the
oxidative degradation of lipids improving the quality and nutritional value of food. The aim of this review is to
show that several studies have demonstrated the presence of many different chemical compounds in Mentha
piperita and their pharmacological effects. This plant has demonstrated the presence of a wide variety of bioactive
compounds that represent a rich resource in phytochemicals of great interest to treat several pathologies. Some of
the benefic biological effects show that this plant may play an important role as anti-oxidant, antinociceptive, anti-
inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-carcinogenic, antiviral, anti-allergic and antitumorigenic, indicating its utility in
the prevention or treatment of several diseases. Furthermore, we may say that Mentha piperita is a promising plant
that may offer low-cost alternative strategy for the use in Medicine and in food industry.
KEYWORDS: Mentha piperita, phytochemicals, glycaemia, lipids, free radicals.

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Figure 1: Properties of M. piperita.
Due to the expansion in the research about the
potential use of plants with broad applications and
benefits, the aim of this review is to show that several
studies have demonstrated the presence of many
different chemical compounds in Mentha piperita and
their pharmacological effects.
METHODS
This review was based on a literature survey papers
which used experimental studies involving in vitro or
with humans and / or animals. For this research we
used the Scielo databases, PMC, PubMed and
LILACS. For search of articles the following
descriptors were used: Mentha piperita, properties of
M. piperita, M. piperita applications.
COMPOSITION OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL
The essential oil of Mentha piperita contains
acetaldehyde, amyl alcohol, menthyl esters, limone,
phellandrene, pinene, pugelone, and dimethyl sulfide,
alpha-pinene, sabinene, ocimene, gamma-terpinene,
terpinolene, alpha- and beta-thujone, citronellol,
menthol, menthone, menthofuran, menthyl acetate,
isomenthone and other compounds capable of
producing the above mentioned effects of this plant.[7,
13, 15]
COMPOSITION OF THE LEAVES
In the extract of the leaves of M. piperita are present
mainly flavonoids and phenolic acids and some of the
compounds are menthol, menthone caffeic acid,
acetaldehyde, amyl alcohol, menthyl esters, limonene,
pinene, cardial glycosides, phellandrene, cadinene,
pugelone, and dimethyl sulfide. The constituent
features include alpha-pinene, sabinene, terpinolene,
ocimene, diterpenes, gamma-terpinene, steroids,
fenchene, alpha- and beta-thujone, coumarin,
citronellol, carotenes, tocopherols, betaine, choline,
saponin, tannins, and other components.[7, 9, 15-16]
ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES
Lack of antioxidants in organism, promotes the
oxidative stress due to the presence of free radicals,
which in turn causes a variety of pathological
conditions. Antioxidants, which are an integral part of
biologically active substances, are of great interest.
They can reduce mutagenic influence, regulating the
oxidation process of free radicals. According to
literature, a number of biologically active substances,
which are produced by plants and have antioxidant
activity, are known. They include α-tocoferol (vitamin
E), tannins, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), β- carotene, a
number of protein compounds with enzymatic activity,
flavonoids, polysaccharides, terpenoids, polyphenol
compounds and etc. Mentha pipertita have antioxidant
properties due to presence of several bioactive
substances.[17]
The antioxidant properties of Mentha pipertita are
important to prevent inflammation process and
dyslipidemia as well as several chronic degenerative
diseases as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (Table
1).

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Table 1: Metabolic effects of M. piperita.
Treatment
Effect
Comment
Reference
M. piperita juice in
diabetic Wistar rats
Decrease the glycaemia,
cholesterol, LDL-c, VLDL-c
and triglycerides in the
offspring of diabetic rats.
Mentha juice may help prevention
of diabetes and its complications
in diabetic rats offspring.
Barbalho et al[12];
Figueroa-Pérez et
al[9];
David et al[10]
supplementation with
M. piperita in Wistar
rats
Reduction of blood levels of
cholesterol, triglycerides,
LDL-c and glucose.
M. piperita may prevent diabetes
and its complications.
Mesbahzadeh et al[18]
M. piperita juice in
rats
Reduction of blood lipids and
exhibit antioxidant activity.
Mentha juice may help prevention
of cardiovascular diseases.
Badal et al[15]; Sharafi
et al[4]
Menthol and menthone
from leavein rats
infected by
Schistosoma mansoni
Immunomodulatory and anti-
inflammatory action in murine
model.
Mentha piperita leaves exhibit an
immunomodulatory and
antiparasitic effect in the
experimental murine model of
schistosomiasis.
Zaia et al[19]
ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECTS
The constituents of the essential oil of M. piperita have
different modes of action in bacteria and eukaryotic cells.
They exhibit strong bactericidal properties, and in
eukaryotic they modify apoptosis and differentiation,
interfere with the post translational modification of
proteins and induce or inhibit certain liver detoxifying
enzymes.[4]
Antibacterial activity of plants may be attributed to the
presence of phenolic compounds that behave as pro-
oxidants because they undergo high oxidation, so instead
of eliminating the reaction of free radical chain, they lead
to generation of superoxide and quinones. The most
easily oxidized phenolics such as quercetin and gallic
acid have pro-oxidant activity but tannins, due to the
high molecular weight have little pro-oxidant activity.[20]
According to Shehadi et al [21], the bioactivity found in
different compounds of plants are generally attributed to
the presence of secondary metabolites which produce
physiological actions. The extracts can be categorized
into several classes among which are terpenoids,
flavonoids and phenolics that are known to be active
against bacteria, viruses and protozoa.
The antimicrobial effects of the essential oil can be
attributed to their mechanisms of action within the cell
membrane. The implications of this mechanism involves
lysis and loss of membrane integrity due to changes that
determine the output of ions (hydrogen, potassium and
calcium), causing damage in the essential cell survival
processes. Menthol and menthone present in the essential
oil components of M. piperita is responsible for the
antimicrobial activity.[5]
OTHER EFFECTS
According to Ferreira et al[8], menthol is one of the main
components of the essential oil of M. piperita that
produce anti-cancer activity inducing cell death, either
by necrosis or apoptosis (in Caco-2 cell line). The
cytotoxicity associated with essential oil has been
attributed to various effects such as the production of
reactive species, change in fluidity and membrane
permeability, tubulin polymerization, imbalance in ion
transport, and inhibition of protein function.
Rodriguez Fragoso et al[13] noted that M. piperita relaxes
the lower esophageal sphincter, which is useful as an
antispasmodic agent by taking double contrast barium
and in patients with dyspepsia. It acts by inhibiting the
spontaneous peristaltic activity, reducing the total
gastrointestinal transit and gastric emptying by lowering
basal tone in the intestinal tract, reducing low frequency
waves in the esophagus, and small intestine by slowing
the peristaltic movements and inhibiting responses
induced by potassium depolarization. Other biological
effects of M. piperita are found in table 2.
Table 2: Other effects of Mentha piperita in different models.
Part of the plant
Compounds
Effects
Reference
Herbal preparation with MP
leaves in humans
-
Decreased anion secretion via activation of two
epithelial chloride channels. These were the
cAMP-dependent cystic fibrosis trans
membrane conductance regulator and calcium-
activated chlo-ride channels.
Allam et al[22]
MP extracts leaves in fish
Potassium, calcium,
iron, manganese and
magnesium. Vitamin A,
C and E.
Dose-dependent increases in growth, immune
(in skin, mucus and blood serum) and
hematological parameters, as well as in
amylase activity and in the number of lactic
acid bacteria.
Adel et al[23, 24]

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Essential oil of the leaves in
stored minced beef meat
Menthol (33.59%) and
iso-menthone (33%)
Decrease in TBARS values.
Smaoui et al[25]
Essential oil in Musca
domestica and Anopheles
stephensi
Menthol and menthone
Substantial larvicidal activity against housefly
and Anopheles stephensi.
Chauhan et al[26]
Leaves in excision wound
model
decarboxyrosemarinic
acid galactoside
Increase the cellular
proliferation and collagen synthesis at the
wound site (healing activity); decrease the
levels of lipid peroxides and increase of the
antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase,
catalase and glutathione peroxidase
Rais and Ali [27]
Essential oil in the plant
and in chocolate
In plant: peppermint:
menthol (30.35 %),
menthone (21.12 %),
and others; in Chocolate
mint: menthol (28.19 %)
and
menthone (15.53 %).
The antimicrobial
activity of peppermint against E. coli,
Streptococcus aureus
and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was stronger
than that of the
chocolate mint. For the anti-oxidation test,
peppermint showed better properties, however,
for the scavenging NO radical activity and as
anti-inflammatory, chocolate mint was superior
to peppermint.
Tsai[28]
Essential oil in Clostridium
perfringens
Oxygenated compounds,
especially oxygenated
monoterpenes and
phenylpropanoids.
Oxygenated monoterpenes and
phenylpropanoids might be responsible for the
antimicrobial activity.
Radaelli et al[29]
Leaves calves and piglets
-
Therapeutic option for gastrointestinal and
respiratory diseases in calves and piglets.
Ayrle et al[30]
TBARS: Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances.
CONCLUSION
Studies with Mentha piperita has demonstrated the
presence of a wide variety of bioactive compounds that
represent a rich resource in phytochemicals of great
interest to to treat several pathologies. Some of the
benefic biological effects show that this plant may play
an important role as anti-oxidant, antinociceptive, anti-
inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-carcinogenic, antiviral,
anti-allergic and antitumorigenic, indicating its utility in
the prevention or treatment of several diseases.
Furthermore, we may say that Mentha piperita is a
promising plant that may offer low-cost alternative
strategy for the use in Medicine and in food industry.
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