An overview on menthae piperitae (peppermint oil) Article · January 013 citations 16 reads 3,439 authors

 
INTRODUCTION 
Aetheroleum Menthae Piperitae
1
is the essential 
oil obtained by steam distillation of the fresh 
overground parts of Mentha x piperita L. 
(Lamiaceae)
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, which is found on the under sides 
of the leaves and is generally followed by 
rectification and fractionation before use and 
the yield is 0.1-1.0%. The oil is found on the 
undersides of the leaves, is extracted by steam 
distillation and is generally followed by 
rectification and fractionation before use.
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Synonyms: Mentha piperita (L.) Huds., M. 
piperita Stokes, M. balsamea Willd
. 
 
Selected 
Vernacular 
Names: 
Amentha, 
american mint, balm mint, brandy mint, cabra-
caa, 
curled 
mint, 
dounmenta 
piperita, 
hierbabuena, hortela pimenta, Katzenkraut, 
lamb mint, lamenta, lamint, mentapiemonte, 
mentea peperina, mentha pepe, menthe, menthe 
anglaise, menthepoivrée, moto yuyo, nána, ni 
naa, ni’na el fulfully, pepermin, pepper mint, 
peppermint, Pfefferminze, Pfefferminzblätter, 
piperita, pudeena, pum hub, yerba mota. 
 
Geographical 
Distribution: 
Commercially 
cultivated in eastern and northern Europe and 
the United States of America, and is found in 
Africa. 
 
Description: A perennial herb, 30–90cm high. 
Stems square erect or ascending, branched, the 
upper portion always quadrangular. Leaves 
opposite, petiolate, ovate-oblong to oblong-
lanceolate, serrate, pointed; dark green on the 
upper surface. Flowers purplish, occur in thick, 
terminal, spicoid racemes of verticillasters; each 
flower shows a tubular calyx with 5 sharp, hairy 
teeth, a purplish, irregular, 4-cleft corolla, 4 
short stamens, a 4-celled ovary and a projecting 
style ending in a bifid stigma. Fruit consists of 4 
ellipsoidal nutlets.