Common Name(s): Mentha piperita, White Peppermint, American Peppermint, Northern Mint, Lamb Mint, Brandy Mint, and Black Peppermint.

Latin Name: Mentha piperita 

Plant Part: Dried Leaf.

Common Uses: Used to soothe sore muscles, insect bites and stings.  Peppermint foot lotion is often made to soothe tired, aching feet.  Added to soap as an exfoliant and decoration (will brown eventually).  

Precautions: No known precautions when used externally.

Constituents:

The essential oil of peppermint (up to 2.5% in the dried leaf) is mostly made up from menthol (ca. 50%), menthone (10 to 30%), menthyl esters (up to 10%) and several monoterpene derivatives (pulegone, piperitone, menthofurane). Traces of jasmone (0.1%) give the oil its characteristically "minty" scent. The aromatic chemicals in the mint are concentrated when the plant is grown in areas with long, warm, bright summer days.