Latin name: Mentha
Place of origin: Mediterranean, but cultivated in France
Description: Short plant with many branches and pointed leaves. Dark green in color.
Historical Medicinal Use: Many varieties of mint were mentioned to have medicinal qualities. It was believed that mint had a “hot” essence, which would warm the body to treat respiratory issues (Meurdrac 71 ).
Modern Medicinal Use: Mint has been shown to have many empirically supported health properties such as being anti-carcinogenic, antimicrobial and anti inflammatory (Tafrihi).
Sources
Andrea Mattioli, Pietro. Pietri Andreae Mattholi senensis medici Commentarii in sex libros Pedacii Dioscoridis Anazarbei De medica materia. 1565.
Fuchs, Leonhart. Histoire des plantes. 1549
Meurdrac, Marie, and Jean Jacques. La chymie charitable & facile en faveur des dames 1666. CNRS, 1999
Tafrihi, Majid et al. “The Wonderful Activities of the Genus Mentha: Not Only Antioxidant Properties.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 26,4 1118. 20 Feb. 2021, doi:10.3390/molecules26041118