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A Volatile Oil - see Peppermint
Essential Oil |
Menthol: Used widely in pharmaceutical products as an inhalant
to decongest the respiratory tract, Menthol has spasmolytic, antimicrobial and
carminative properties. Menthol is one of the many aromatic alcohols found
in plants, highly valued for their healing properties and fragrances. Most are
non irritant to skin and mucus membranes. |
Menthyl Acetate: No current data available |
Flavonoids: Flavonoids occur (as white and yellow plant pigments
found almost as commonly as chlorophyll) as Glycosides or in a free state. In
plants it is essential for protecting plant tissue from UV radiation and acts as
antioxidants. As pigments it is also responsible for Autumn colors in leaves and
yellow/red pigmentation in flowers. Laboratory experiments have been
conducted on the beneficiary effect of Flavonoids on the heart and circulatory
system. Flavonoids are also used to mitigate stress, especially environmental
stress. Flavonoids are often used for their antioxidant effect against free
radicals. There are also strong indications that they have antiviral,
anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive properties but dosage has not been
determined which will obviously have a profound effect on their efficacy as a
component of this herb. |
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Phenolic acids: Therapeutically valuable and not toxic the
Phenolic acids are analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and
hypotensive. |
Lactones: A lactone is an Ester that's
functional group has become part of a ring structure with carbon atoms.
Lactones are widely present in the plant kingdom and many are expectorants and
febrifuges. |
Carotenoids:
Carotenoids is the largest group in the
Tetraterpenes. Carotenoids are responsible for the red to yellow pigmentation in
vegetables and fruit. A number of the over 500 carotenoids are
pro-vitamins and are converted to vitamin A in the digestive process.
Most
carotenoids have been found to have antioxidant properties and help in the
control of free radicals. There is also some that believe that some of the
carotenoids are also active against some cancer cells although this aspect is
still being researched. | |
