Mentha aquatica
Water mint
Mentha aquatica, commonly known as water mint, is a perennial herb native to wetland habitats across Europe and Asia. Renowned for its aromatic, minty fragrance, this plant is traditionally utilized in herbal medicine for its soothing properties, aiding digestion and providing relief from respiratory discomfort through its essential oils.
- Scientific name: Mentha aquatica
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Lamiales, it falls into the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is specifically categorized under the genus Mentha.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Lamiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Mentha | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Mentha aquatica, is referred to by various common names across different regions and linguistic standards. In Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), Hong Kong Cantonese (zh-hk), Mainland Chinese Mandarin (zh-cn), and Singaporean Mandarin (zh-sg), it is consistently known as 水薄荷.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 水薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 水薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 水薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 水薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 水薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 水薄荷 | Wikidata |
| pl | mięta nadwodna | Wikidata |
| fr | Menthe aquatique | Wikidata |
| hu | vízi menta | Wikidata |
| et | vesimünt | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as Mentha aquatica, exhibits a specific distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Denmark and Finland. The species also extends its range to the island of Iceland. Furthermore, its presence is documented within the territory of Great Britain. Finally, this medicinal plant is also located in the Føroyaar islands.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Føroyar | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Iceland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as water mint, utilizes various structures for growth and survival. The underground parts consist of creeping rhizomes that allow the species to spread effectively through aquatic or damp substrates. In addition to these roots, the aerial and underground parts are frequently harvested for medicinal purposes, as the aromatic leaves and stems located above the surface contain the essential oils most valued for their therapeutic properties.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| underground parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial and underground parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Mentha aquatica has 15 reported phytochemicals identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 3-epi-maslinic acid, 3-epi-ursolic acid, F2, F4, F6.
- Total chemicals
- 15
- Scientific sources
- 15
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 3-epi-maslinic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3-epi-ursolic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| F2 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| F4 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| F6 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyptadienic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| micromeric acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| naringenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleanolic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| phenols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Mentha aquatica has 7 reported activities identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Anticancer, Anticholinesterase, Antifungal.
- Total activities
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 10
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticholinesterase | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiobesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| MAO-Inhibitor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Mentha aquatica has 9 reported medicinal uses identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Parkinson's disease, SARS-CoV-2, anticholinesterase, antioxidant, common cold.
- Total uses
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Parkinson's disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| SARS-CoV-2 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anticholinesterase | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| common cold | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| depression | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| respiratory diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumors | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |