Pudina consists of dried leaves and flowering tops of Mentha spicata Linn., belonging to family Labiatae.
PUDINA
Synonyms
Spearmint, Garden mint, Mackerel mint, Our lady’s mint,
Green mint, Sage of Bethlehem.
Biological Source
Pudina consists of dried leaves and flowering tops of Mentha spicata Linn., belonging to family Labiatae.
Geographical Source
It is originally a native of the Mediterranean region and
was later introduced into Britain.
History
Mint is mentioned in all early mediaeval lists of plants; it
was grown in English gardens and cultivated in the Convent gardens during the
ninth century. The Ancients believed that mint would prevent the coagulation of
milk, to scent their bath water and as a restorative, as we use smelling salts
today. Mint was so universally esteemed, that it was found wild in nearly all
the countries to which civilization has extended. In America for 200 years,
the mint was known as an escape from gardens, growing in all moist soils and
proving on occasion troublesome like a weed. In the fourteenth century, mint
was used for whitening the teeth, and its distilled oil is still used to
flavour toothpastes, and in America, it is used especially, to flavour chewing
gums, confectionery, and also perfume soap.
Cultivation and Collection
Mint does well in almost all soil (though in dry, sandy
soils it is occasionally difficult to grow) but should be planted in the cool
and damp condition. As the plant is perennial, creeping stems propagations are
used by lilting the roots in February or March, the stems are divided into
small pieces and planted in shallow trenches, covering with 2 inches of soil.
The distance between each plant is six inches within the rows and 8 inches
between the rows. Cuttings can be taken at almost, any time during the summer
and the young shoots are chosen for cutting. Good topdressing of soil is to be
done, to obtain good mint or the plantation should be remade every three years.
For liberal topdressing of short, decayed manure, such as an old hotbed or
mushroom beds are added. When it commences to grow, or better still, perhaps,
after the first or second cutting, will ensure luxuriant growth. When the
plants are breaking into bloom, the stalks should be cut a few inches above the
root, on a dry day (after the dew has disappeared) and before the hot sun takes
any oil from the leaves. All discoloured and insect-eaten leaves should be removed
and the stem tied loosely into bunches and hung to dry on strings in the usual
manner directed for bunched herb. The bunches should be nearly equal in length
and uniform in size to facilitate packing, if intended for sale and placed when
dry in airtight boxes to prevent reabsorption of moisture. The leaves may also
be stripped from the stems as soon as thoroughly dried and rubbed through a
fine sieve, so as to free it from stalks as much as possible, or pounded in a
mortar and then powdered, stored in stoppered bottles or tins rendered
airtight.
Characteristics
From creeping rootstocks, erect, square stems rise to a
height of about 2 feet, with very short-stalked, lance-shaped, acute-pointed,
wrinkled, bright green leaves. It has fine-toothed edges and smooth surfaces,
the ribs very prominent on the lower surface. Leaves are sessile, lanceolate to
oblong, acute apex, and coarsely dentate margin. The flowers are densely
arranged in whorls in the axils of the upper leaves, forming slender, cylindrical,
tapering spikes, pinkish in colour. The plant has characteristic taste and
odour.
Chemical Constituents
It contains about 0.5% volatile oil containing carvone. It
also contains limonene, phellandrine, dihydrocarveol acetate, esters of acetic,
butyric, and caproic or caprylic acids. The drug also contains resin and
tannins.
Uses
The drug is used as spice, flavouring agent, carminative,
digestive, spasmolytic, stimulant, and as a diuretic. Pudina is chiefly used
for culinary purposes. Sweetened infusion is an excellent remedy for infantile
trouble and also a pleasant beverage in fevers, inflammatory diseases, etc.
Marketed Products
It is one of the ingredients of the preparation known as Rheumatil gel (Dabur).
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