Skip to main content

Advertising Disclaimer »

Main menu

  • Journals
    • Pediatrics
    • Hospital Pediatrics
    • Pediatrics in Review
    • NeoReviews
    • AAP Grand Rounds
    • AAP News
  • Authors
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Author Guidelines
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Complete Issue PDF
    • Archive
    • Topic/Program Collections
    • Blog
  • Multimedia
    • Teaching Slides
    • Pediatrics On Call Podcast
  • CME/MOC
    • CME Quizzes
    • MOC Claiming
  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Careers
  • Other Publications
    • American Academy of Pediatrics

User menu

  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
American Academy of Pediatrics

AAP Gateway

Advanced Search

AAP Logo

  • Log in
  • My Cart
  • Journals
    • Pediatrics
    • Hospital Pediatrics
    • Pediatrics in Review
    • NeoReviews
    • AAP Grand Rounds
    • AAP News
  • Authors
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Author Guidelines
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Complete Issue PDF
    • Archive
    • Topic/Program Collections
    • Blog
  • Multimedia
    • Teaching Slides
    • Pediatrics On Call Podcast
  • CME/MOC
    • CME Quizzes
    • MOC Claiming
  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Careers
American Academy of Pediatrics
Internet-Only Article

Peppermint Oil

Theresa L. Charrois, Jessica Hrudey, Paula Gardiner and Sunita Vohra
Pediatrics in Review July 2006, 27 (7) e49-e51; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/pir.27-7-e49
Theresa L. Charrois
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jessica Hrudey
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Paula Gardiner
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Sunita Vohra
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments
Loading

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Download PDF
  1. Theresa L. Charrois, BScPharm, MSc*
  2. Jessica Hrudey*
  3. Paula Gardiner, MD†
  4. Sunita Vohra, MD, MSc*
  1. *Complementary and Alternative Research and Education (CARE) Program, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  2. †Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass

Introduction

Peppermint has been used since antiquity to treat a variety conditions, including gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, common cold and respiratory conditions, muscle pain, headaches, and neuralgia. (1)

Definition and Description

Peppermint or Mentha piperita is a common herb grown in Europe and North America. (1) The plant contains about 1.5% essential oil, which consists of menthol, the primary active species. (1) Menthol is the primary component of the essential oil of peppermint (29% to 48%) and is mostly responsible for the agent’s spasmolytic effects. (1)

Peppermint oil often is used in pediatric patients for recurrent abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea, and symptomatic relief of coughs and colds. (1) Peppermint also has been used for aromatherapy to treat nausea and vomiting and topically for relief of minor muscular pain and neuralgias. (1)(2)

Pharmacologic Action

Current evidence suggests that peppermint oil reduces smooth muscle contractions through a calcium channel blocking effect; the blocking effect is believed to be carried out by the menthol component of the oil. (3)(4) This results is an antispasmodic effect on the smooth muscles of the GI tract. (5) Peppermint relaxes GI smooth muscle by reducing cellular calcium influx in the intestines. (6)(7) Menthol also stimulates bile flow, reduces the tone in the esophageal sphincter, facilitates belching, and acts as a carminative and antibacterial agent. …

Individual Login

Log in
You will be redirected to aap.org to login or to create your account.

Institutional Login

via Institution

You may be able to gain access using your login credentials for your institution. Contact your librarian or administrator if you do not have a username and password.

Log in through your institution

If your organization uses OpenAthens, you can log in using your OpenAthens username and password. To check if your institution is supported, please see this list. Contact your library for more details.

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.

Offer Reprints

PreviousNext
Back to top

Advertising Disclaimer »

In this issue

Pediatrics in Review: 27 (7)
Pediatrics in Review
Vol. 27, Issue 7
July 2006
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
View this article with LENS
PreviousNext
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Academy of Pediatrics.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Peppermint Oil
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Academy of Pediatrics
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Academy of Pediatrics web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Request Permissions
Article Alerts
Log in
You will be redirected to aap.org to login or to create your account.
Or Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Citation Tools
Peppermint Oil
Theresa L. Charrois, Jessica Hrudey, Paula Gardiner, Sunita Vohra
Pediatrics in Review Jul 2006, 27 (7) e49-e51; DOI: 10.1542/pir.27-7-e49

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Peppermint Oil
Theresa L. Charrois, Jessica Hrudey, Paula Gardiner, Sunita Vohra
Pediatrics in Review Jul 2006, 27 (7) e49-e51; DOI: 10.1542/pir.27-7-e49
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
Print
Download PDF
Insight Alerts
  • Table of Contents

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Introduction
    • Definition and Description
    • Pharmacologic Action
    • Evidence of Efficacy
    • Adverse Events
    • Drug Interactions
    • Precautions/Contraindications
    • Use in Pregnancy and Lactation
    • Administration/Dosage Forms
    • Conclusion
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • Chronic Recurrent Abdominal Pain
  • Chronic Abdominal Pain
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Complementary, Holistic, and Integrative Medicine: Therapies for Learning Disabilities
  • Global Child Health
  • Ethics for the Pediatrician
Show more Internet-Only Article

Similar Articles

Subjects

  • Complementary & Integrative Medicine
    • Complementary & Integrative Medicine
  • Journal Info
  • Editorial Board
  • ABP Content Specifications Map
  • Overview
  • Licensing Information
  • Authors
  • Author Guidelines
  • Submit My Manuscript
  • Librarians
  • Institutional Subscriptions
  • Usage Stats
  • Support
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
  • Media Kit
  • About
  • International Access
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • FAQ
  • AAP.org
  • shopAAP
  • Follow American Academy of Pediatrics on Instagram
  • Visit American Academy of Pediatrics on Facebook
  • Follow American Academy of Pediatrics on Twitter
  • Follow American Academy of Pediatrics on Youtube
American Academy of Pediatrics

© 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics