Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) · Herb Profile

At a glance

Botanical name: Mentha x piperita
Family: Lamiaceae
Part used: Leaf
Taste: Pungent, Sweet
Temperature: Cool
Moisture: Dry

No pre-1900 source found for this exact plant. The old books speak of mint as a group, or describe spearmint or the Chinese mint, and peppermint is none of those.

Safety at a glance

In pregnancy

Generally safe as tea

While breastfeeding

Traditional anti-galactagogue in large doses — moderate use is generally safe; avoid high-dose tea if milk supply is a concern.

For children

Safe as tea for older children; avoid essential oil internally under 12

Cautions

Avoid essential oil (direct) in infants (menthol respiratory depression); avoid with hiatal hernia

General contraindications

Generally safe as tea; avoid concentrated EO

Stewardship

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) is globally cultivated; spreads readily. Stewardship: one of the oldest cultivated medicines; a hybrid taught humanity that intentional cultivation produces new medicines.

In the traditional record

Peppermint — Mentha referenced in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 (mint as temple tithe); ancient Egypt documented mint cultivation

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Educational use

The Apothecary is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a diagnosed condition.

On our sources

These entries draw on public-domain materia medica, most of it published before 1900, alongside a smaller number of modern reference works. Energetic qualities such as warming, cooling, drying and moistening are a traditional framework for describing how a plant behaves in the body, not a laboratory measurement. Where a period source states one, we cite it. Where none does, and for many North American herbs none exists, the value reflects modern herbal consensus rather than a historical text. When we cannot support a caution with real evidence, we say nothing rather than guess.