CORNMINT/MENTHA OIL

Botanical Name Mentha arvensis L.
Synonyms -
Family Labiateae
Local Name Pudina
English Name Japanese Mint

Plant Description

Mentha arvensis is an annual herb reaching up to 50cm in height. The leaves are aromatic, short-stalked, surface undulating in opposite pairs, simple, 2-6.5 cm long, and 1-2 cm broad, hairy, and with a coarsely serrated margin. Flowers are whitely tingled with violet-pink color, borne in clustered whorls. It is an exotic species, introduced from Japan, and is now under extensive cultivation in Terai and the lower foothill region of Nepal. However, it can be cultivated up to the altitude of 1500m.

Extraction

Cornmint oil or Mentha oil is extracted from steam distillation of aerial parts of Mentha arvensis. In an average, the plant yields 5% of essential oil.

Uses

The leaves are applied to the forehead to relieve headaches, colds, coughs, etc.
Cornmint oil has a variety of uses in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumery, and as a food additive. It is used to prepare medicine that is used treatment of a cold and cough. It has antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, expectorant, and anesthetic properties. It is used to manufacture soaps, detergents, toothpaste, mouthwashes, perfumes, etc. It is also used in flavoring foods and beverages.

Organoleptic Properties

Appearance: Slightly thick liquid
Colour: Faint Pale yellow
Aroma: Strong, fresh menthol/mint odour

Active Constituents

Menthol is the key active constituents of the essential oil. Similarly it contains menthane, α -pinene, p-menthone, menthyl acetate, iso-menthone, thujone, phellandrene, piperitone, limonene, α -terpineol, camphene, β -caryophyllene.

Physico-Chemical Properties

Specific gravity 0.8940 to 0.9015 at 25° C?>
Optical rotation [-] 15.5° to[-] 45.0° at 25° C?>
Refractive index 1.4590 to 1.4750 at 25° C?>
Acid number 0.3 to 5
Ester number 210 to 255
Ester number 29 (after acetylation)
Solubility Soluble in 1.2 to 2.5 vol. of 70% alcohol.