Medicinal Plants of Pakistan Depicting "Peppermint". (2001-13)

Pakistan is endowed with the wealth of medicinal plants. These are the natural botanical source of medicines being manufactured by indigenous pharmaceutical houses in Pakistan. These are also the basic source of modern pharmaceutical market, although today it has become an entire medical world of synthetics, with elevated prices a common man cannot afford. It is therefore the most appropriate time to consider development and organization of our medicinal plants industry to become independent in the provision of common indigenous natural drugs that are being used to treat diseases in most of our rural areas. In our country there are grown wild or cultivated medicinal plants species which possess great potentialities not only in the light of their use from centuries in the sub- content in Greco-Arab (Unani or Eastern) system of medicine but also in the light of active principles or biodynamic compounds being isolated from them using ultra modern screeing techniques available in our country. Peppermint is an example of such useful and effective medicinal plant.

Peppermint - Mentha x piperita L. (Labiatae/Lamiaceae)

Flowers: Reddish violet

Peppermint was in use in China and Japan at least 2000 years ago. The na' na' used by Ibn Sina appears to have been Peppermint. He describes it as an efficacious kind of mint and a good diuretic. Both the Arabs and Persians appears to have been well acquainted with the value of the mint in neuralgic affections. According to Dymock the Peppermint was first observed by Dr. Eales and was communicated to Ray, who noticed it in synopsis in 1696.

In Europe Peppermint become know about the later end of the last century. In olden days it was brought to Europe from China and Japan. When first brought to Europe it was used as a remedy for headache and neuralgia. Later on, it was used as an antiseptic and sedative in affections of nose, pharynx and larynx. Attaiba used it as aromatic, carminative stimulant, stomachic and emmenagogue. Date of Issue (November 12, 2001)