Witnessed by: TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani
Corn mint (Mentha arvensis), of the Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family. Creeping aromatic perennial with square stems and whorled lilac flowers in the leaf-axils; native range: temperate Eurasia, from Europe across to Japan; the great commercial source of natural menthol. Globally recognized as putiha in Sanskrit, pudina in Hindi, bo he (薄荷) in Chinese, na'na' (نعناع) in Arabic, and field mint · Japanese mint · wild mint in English. The part used is aerial parts in flower; leaf. Rough hairy leaves that release a sharp, cooling, sweetly pungent scent when bruised — the fresh camphoraceous bite of menthol.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
CORN MINT
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Corn mint
- Scientific name
- Mentha arvensis L.
- Family
- Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Form
- Part used
- aerial parts in flower; leaf
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- pungent
- Ayurveda
- pungent (katu) · bitter (tikta)
- Western
- pungent · aromatic
- Unani
- pungent · aromatic
Temperature
- TCM
- cool
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna, though cooling on the surface)
- Western
- warm
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Lung · Liver
- Western
- lungs · stomach · nerves · skin
- Unani
- stomach · brain · liver
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- releases the exterior and disperses wind-heat, clears the head and eyes and benefits the throat, vents rashes, and courses constrained Liver qi
- Ayurveda
- dipana-pachana (kindles and digests), vata-kapha-hara, hikkanigrahana (checks hiccough), and cools the surface
- Western
- carminative, diaphoretic, antispasmodic, and a mild anaesthetic to the mucous membranes
- Unani
- kaasir-e-riyah (carminative), mufarrih (exhilarant), muqawwi-e-meda (stomach tonic), daf-e-hiccup
Cautions
- Contraindications
- Yin-deficiency with sweating; nursing mothers (may reduce milk); infants — menthol oil not to the face of small children
- Toxicity
- the herb is gentle; the concentrated oil and menthol can irritate and, swallowed in quantity, are toxic; menthol on an infant's nose or throat may cause laryngospasm
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