Mentha pulegium
Pennyroyal
Mentha pulegium, commonly known as pennyroyal, is a perennial herb within the Lamiaceae family. Renowned for its potent essential oils, particularly pulegone, this aromatic plant has been utilized extensively in traditional medicine. While valued for its antimicrobial and digestive properties, its high toxicity requires cautious and careful application.
- Scientific name: Mentha pulegium
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Lamiales and family Lamiaceae, it is classified 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 pulegium, is referred to by various common names across different Chinese linguistic regions. In Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), Cantonese (zh-hk), Mainland Chinese (zh-cn), and Singaporean Mandarin (zh-sg), it is consistently known as 唇萼薄荷.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 唇萼薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 唇萼薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 唇萼薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 唇萼薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 唇萼薄荷 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 唇萼薄荷 | Wikidata |
| pl | mięta polej | Wikidata |
| ang | Dƿeorgedosle | Wikidata |
| fr | Menthe pouliot | Wikidata |
| hu | csombormenta | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a widespread presence across several key regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Its distribution continues into Middle Europe, where it is established in Austria. The species is also documented within the borders of Belgium. Finally, its geographical range extends through the territories of Czechia and Slovakia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Netherlands | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Poland | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Switzerland | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Mentha pulegium, is a species where the whole plant is often utilized for its diverse therapeutic properties. The structural foundation of the herb is provided by its upright stem, which contains specialized stem tissues that facilitate the transport of nutrients and secondary metabolites throughout the organism. However, the most significant part of the plant is the leaves, which serve as the primary site for the synthesis of aromatic compounds. It is within these foliage structures that the highly potent pennyroyal essential oil is concentrated, providing the characteristic scent and the medicinal potency for which the species is known.- Total parts
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 9
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| whole plant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem tissues | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pennyroyal essential oil | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial part | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Flower | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Mentha pulegium has 63 reported phytochemicals identified across 74 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include pulegone, flavonoids, menthone, -humulene, 1,8-Cineole.
- Total chemicals
- 63
- Scientific sources
- 74
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pulegone | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| flavonoids | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| menthone | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| -humulene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1,8-Cineole | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3-octanol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Arsenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bromine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Caffeic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Carvacrol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Mentha pulegium has 13 reported activities identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 24
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| Antibacterial | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticonvulsant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antihypertensive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Mentha pulegium has 17 reported medicinal uses identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Alzheimer disease, belching, constipation, cough, fever.
- Total uses
- 17
- Scientific sources
- 17
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| belching | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| constipation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cough | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fever | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hiccups | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hypertension | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| immune system | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| immunity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infertility | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |