Mentha spicata
Linn. emend. Nathh.
Synonym M. viridis Linn. Family Labiatae; Lam iaceae.
Habitat Cultivated in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
410 Menyanthes trifoliata Linn.
English Spearmint, Garden Mint.
Ayurvedic Pudinaa, Podinaka, Puutthaa, Rochini.
Unani Nanaa. Pudinaa Kohi.
Action Carminative, stimulant, antispasmodic, antiemetic, diaphoretic, antiseptic. A tea of dry flowers and leaves is prescribed for tracheobronchitis and hypertension.
The chief constituents of the essential oil are carvone (55—75%) and limonene (up to 21.4%). The herb gave flavonoids, diosmin and diosmetin. Caffeic acid derivatives include rosmarinic acid in the volatile oil.
Dosage Leaf—5—10 ml juice; 3— 5 ml extract. (CCRAS.)
Menyanthes trifoliata Linn.
Family Gentianaceae.
Habitat Native to Britain and Europe; found in Kashmir.
English Bogbean, Buckbean, Goat’s bean, Marsh Trefoil.
Folk Buckbean.
Action Bitter tonic, deobstruent. Laxative in large doses. Used for diseases of liver and gallbladder, and rheumatism. (Contraindicated in diarrhoea, dysentery and colitis.)
Key application Leaf—in loss of appetite, peptic discomforts. (German Commission E.) As a bitter tonic. (The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.) The drug stimulates saliva and gastric juice secretion. (German Commission E.)
The herb contains iridoid glycosides, foliamenthin, dihydrofoliamenthin, menthiafolin and loganin; pyridine alkaloids including gentianine; coumarins (scopoletin); phenolic acids (caffeic, with protocatechuic, ferulic, sinapic, vanillic including others; flavonoids including rutin, hyperoside.
Choleretic action of the herb is attributed to the synergistic action of caffeic and ferulic acids and iridoid glycosides.
Scoparone and scopoletin (coumarins isolated from the aerial parts) exhibit antihepatotoxic, choleretic and cholagogue properties.
