Mint Herb – 1 lb (454 g)

Mint Herb, known in Chinese as 薄荷 (Bòhe) and scientifically as Herba Menthae, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Mint Herb carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Mint Herb helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Mint Herb provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Mint Herb has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Mint Herb, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This herb is also known as Fanhecai, Tu Bohe, Nan Bohe, and Rendancao. It is the aerial part of the Lamiaceae plant Mentha haplocalyx Briq. It is mainly produced in Jiangsu, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces. The stems and leaves are lush in summer and autumn or harvested when flowers bloom to the third cycle. Harvest on sunny days in multiple rounds, then dry in the sun or shade.

[Properties] Pungent in taste, cool in nature. Enters the Lung and Liver meridians.

[Actions] Disperses wind-heat, clears the head and eyes, benefits the throat and vents rashes, soothes the Liver and relieves depression.

[Applications]
1. Used for external wind-heat invasion or early-stage warm diseases, symptoms include fever, slight chills, headache, cough, etc. Commonly combined with Schizonepeta, Platycodon, Mulberry leaf, Chrysanthemum, and Arctium seed; formulas include Sang Ju Yin and Yin Qiao San.
2. Used for wind-heat headache, red eyes with excessive tearing, and sore throat. For wind-heat attacking upward causing headache and red eyes, often combined with Mulberry leaf and Chrysanthemum; if Liver fire flares upward causing red swollen eyes, often combined with Prunella and Cassia seed; if wind-heat obstructs causing sore throat, often combined with Platycodon and Silkworm; formula example: Liu Wei Tang.
3. Used for incomplete rash eruption in measles and pruritic wind rash. For incomplete measles eruption, often combined with Cicada slough, Arctium seed, and Tamarix; formula example: Zhu Ye Liu Bang Tang; for pruritic wind rash, often combined with Schizonepeta, Saposhnikovia, and Silkworm.
4. Used for Liver qi stagnation causing chest tightness or breast distension and pain, irregular menstruation; often combined with Bupleurum and White Peony; formula example: Xiao Yao San.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoction, 3–6 g, preferably added near the end of boiling; or included in pills or powders. External use: appropriate amount, crushed juice or decoction applied topically.

[Cautions] Not suitable for those with deficiency and spontaneous sweating.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: Leaves contain volatile oil, with main components being menthol, followed by menthone, also containing menthyl acetate, camphene, limonene, isomenthone, pinene, menthene ketone, resin, small amounts of tannins, rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, luteolin-7-glucoside, and various free amino acids such as threonine.
2. Pharmacological effects: Small oral doses of mint or mint oil stimulate the central nervous system, dilate skin capillaries via peripheral nerves, promote sweat gland secretion, and increase heat dissipation, thus inducing sweating and fever reduction; topical mint oil induces cold sensation receptors in skin and mucosa causing initial cooling followed by mild burning sensation, reflexively causing vasoconstriction of superficial vessels and vasodilation of deeper tissues; menthol has local anesthetic and analgesic effects; mint and its active components inhibit isolated guinea pig ileum and mouse small intestine; mint protects against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury and has significant choleretic effects; menthol promotes respiratory tract secretions and reduces viscosity to facilitate expectoration; mint exhibits inhibitory effects on various bacteria, viruses, fungi, and has anti-inflammatory properties.
3. Clinical reports:
1) Urticaria: Mint and Sophora flavescens 30 g each soaked in 600 ml 60% alcohol for 1 week, filtered to 500 ml, add 10 g camphor phenol. Applied externally 5–6 times daily on affected areas. Among 61 cases, 56 cured, 5 markedly effective, total effective rate 100%. [Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1988,(8):42]
2) Acute epidemic conjunctivitis: Fresh mint 100 g washed, dried, crushed and juiced, diluted with 500 ml cold boiled water for eye wash twice daily; alternatively, soaked in hot water for fumigation and washing. 564 cases treated, all cured. [Journal of Practical Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 1994,7(10):620]
3) Acute tonsillitis: About 250 ml boiling water with 9 g rhubarb and 3 g mint soaked in alcohol for 20 minutes, slowly drunk; repeated after 2 hours. One dose morning and afternoon with at least 4 hours interval. Among 69 cases, 63 cured (91.30%), 6 improved (8.70%). [Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2002,37(8):340]
4) Perioral herpes simplex: Treatment group disinfected with 75% alcohol, applied Wintergreen Mint ointment on lesions for 15 minutes, then wiped off with 75% alcohol, keeping lesions clean and dry, twice daily, synchronized with brushing teeth morning and evening. Control group applied 75% alcohol on lesions thrice daily for 3 days per course. Results: Treatment group had 7 cases markedly effective within 3 days, 47 effective, 6 ineffective, 90% efficacy; control group had 0 markedly effective, 12 effective, 48 ineffective, 20% efficacy; difference significant (P<0.05). [Zhejiang Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 2001,11(3):168] Attached preparations: 1. Mentha Oil (Mint Oil) Bohesuyou: Volatile oil obtained by steam distillation of mint followed by freezing and partial de-braining. Used as aromatic, flavoring, and wind-dispelling medicine; applied topically to skin or mucosa to produce cooling sensation to relieve discomfort and pain. Oral dose: 0.02–0.2 ml per time, 0.06–0.6 ml daily. External use: appropriate amount applied topically. 2. Menthol Bohenao: A saturated cyclic alcohol powder derived from mentha oil. Same effects as mentha oil. Internal use: 0.02–0.1 g, mostly in tablets; or in tinctures and ointments. External use: appropriate amount applied topically.