Menthae piperitae aetheroleum

Oil contained in the leaves of peppermint.

Quality is defined in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).

HMPC monograph: Well-established use: internally as stomach-resistant lozenges for cramp-like complaints in the gastrointestinal tract, irritable bowel syndrome. Also external use for tension headaches.

Traditional-use: internally and externally for coughs and colds. externally for localized muscle pain for itching of intact skin.

ESCOP monograph: internally for symptomatic treatment of digestive complaints such as flatulence; irritable bowel syndrome; coughs and colds. Externally for colds, rheumatic complaints, tension headaches, skin symptoms such as itching, hives and painful skin irritations.

Commission E-monograph: internally: spasmodic complaints of the upper gastrointestinal tract and biliary tract, colon irritabile, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract; externally: inflammation of the oral mucosa (mouth rinses), catarrh of the upper respiratory tract (in the form of nasal ointments), muscle and nerve pain.

Empirical medicine: tension headache, migraine, pruritus, blunt injuries.

Studies indicate significant improvement in abdominal pain and other irritable bowel symptoms (Alammar N et al. 2019) with recommendation of peppermint oil for irritable bowel in the S3 guideline.

Infants and toddlers under 2 years of age - Cave vocal cramp up to respiratory arrest!

not recommended for children < 4 years

Allergy to peppermint, no sufficient data in pregnancy and lactation.

Not suitable for continuous use due to its tonic lowering effect on the lower esophageal sphincter.

Not to be confused with mint oil, Menthae arvensis aetheroleum partim mentholum depletum - this is cheaper than peppermint oil, so it is also used to adulterate peppermint oil. The effect hardly different, smell of peppermint oil finer.

1. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/pfefferminze.php
2. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-list-entry/european-union-list-entry-mentha-x-piperita-l-aetheroleum-revision-1_en.pdf
3. Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp. 171-173
4. https://register.awmf.org/assets/guidelines/021-016l_S3_Definition-Pathophysiology-Diagnostics-Therapy-Irritable Bowel Syndrome_2022-02.pdf.
5. Alammar N et al. (2019) The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of pooled clinical data. BMC Complement Altern Med. 17;19(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s12906-018-2409-0. PMID: 30654773; PMCID: PMC6337770.