Photo: Internet Archive Book Images / Wikimedia Commons, No restrictions
Menthol पुदीना सत्त्व
Mentha piperita
Part used: Extract
| Rasa (taste) | Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka | Katu (Pungent) |
| Dosha | Balances Kapha & Vata |
| Prabhava | Classical systemic action |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Mentha piperita
- Part used: Extract
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: External use.
Menthol in other languages
Introduction
Menthol is the crystalline principle of peppermint (Mentha piperita), separated from the oil by chilling. It is a single isolated compound rather than a whole-plant drug.
Peppermint is a European hybrid that reached India in the twentieth century and appears in no classical Nighantu. Menthol entered Indian practice through the modern pharmacopoeias and is now standard in balms and inhalations for its cooling, decongestant effect.
Classification
Family Lamiaceae — isolated constituent. By the properties assigned in later works: Rasa Katu; Guna Laghu, Tikshna; Virya Sheeta (cooling on contact despite its penetrating quality); Vipaka Katu. Pacifies Kapha and Pitta.
Uses & benefits
Used externally in balms and rubs for headache, muscular pain and itching, and in inhalations for a blocked nose. Its cooling sensation on skin and mucosa is the basis of every use. In this catalogue it appears in the topical pain preparations.
Menthol for congestion
Inhaled from steam or applied to the chest, it produces the sensation of a clearer airway and is the standard decongestant note in balms.
Menthol for pain and itching
Applied to skin it stimulates cold receptors, which dulls the perception of pain and itch — the counter-irritant effect used in muscle rubs.
Dosage — how much to take
External use. Balms and rubs typically carry 1–10% menthol. Not for internal use in this catalogue's preparations.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
What is Menthol traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Used externally in balms and rubs for headache, muscular pain and itching, and in inhalations for a blocked nose. Its cooling sensation on skin and mucosa is the basis of every use. In this catalogue it appears in the topical pain preparations.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Menthol?
Rasa Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Guna Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Virya Ushna (Hot), Vipaka Katu (Pungent). Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata. Prabhava: Classical systemic action.
Why is Menthol classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Menthol carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Menthol is used medicinally?
The part used is Extract.
How much Menthol is taken, and how?
External use. Balms and rubs typically carry 1–10% menthol. Not for internal use in this catalogue's preparations. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Menthol be avoided?
FOR EXTERNAL USE. Never apply to the face, nostrils or chest of an infant or young child — menthol can trigger laryngeal spasm and apnoea in babies, which has caused deaths. Keep crystals and concentrated oil away from children; swallowing them is dangerous. Do not apply to broken or inflamed skin, or immediately before a hot bath.
Where does Menthol grow?
Mentha piperita is a sterile hybrid propagated vegetatively. India is a major producer of mint oil and menthol, chiefly in the Terai belt of Uttar Pradesh.
Classical references
- Not in the classical Nighantus — Post-classical isolate
Peppermint is a European hybrid introduced to India in the twentieth century; menthol is an isolated constituent, not a classical dravya. - Indian Pharmacopoeia — Menthol
Standardised as a pharmacopoeial substance for external and inhalational use.
Safety & precautions
FOR EXTERNAL USE. Never apply to the face, nostrils or chest of an infant or young child — menthol can trigger laryngeal spasm and apnoea in babies, which has caused deaths. Keep crystals and concentrated oil away from children; swallowing them is dangerous. Do not apply to broken or inflamed skin, or immediately before a hot bath.
Where it grows
Mentha piperita is a sterile hybrid propagated vegetatively. India is a major producer of mint oil and menthol, chiefly in the Terai belt of Uttar Pradesh.
Frequently asked questions
Is menthol an Ayurvedic drug?
Not classically. It is an isolated compound from a plant that reached India long after the classical texts, and it entered practice through the modern pharmacopoeias. We say so rather than assigning it a Nighantu reference.
Why the warning about babies?
Menthol applied near an infant's nose or mouth can cause spasm of the airway and interrupted breathing. Balms containing it should never be used on the face or chest of a baby or young child.
