This article discusses the pharmaceutical aspects of certain Mentha herbs and their essential oils, and focuses on the most important representatives, defined here as those named in the 31st edition of Martindale's The Extra Pharmacopoeia. They are peppermint, cornmint (Japanese mint), spearmint and pennyoyal (Table 1).
When considering the pharmaceutical aspects of a drug -- in this case mint herbs, essential oils and menthol, the only mint oil constituent mentioned as drug in the Martindale -- one has to address the following topics:
Pharmaceutical quality . Pharmaceutical formulations (preparations) . Medicinal use . Adverse and toxicological effects
