Peppermint oil liquid

BackgroundVarious aspects of women's functioning are affected by menstrual disorders. There are various treatment methods to control these conditions. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of peppermint on menstrual disorders.Materials and methodsA comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, SID, and Google Scholar without any limitations until July 31, 2023. To identify those studies that were consistent with the main purpose of this review, the search focused on the keywords "menstruation disorders," "Mentha piperita," and their other synonyms in the title and abstract of the articles. Methodological quality was assessed using the Jadad scale.ResultsA total of 238 articles were retrieved. After removing duplicates and irrelevant studies, 146 articles remained. After evaluating the titles and abstracts, the full text of the remaining eight articles was evaluated. At this stage, one article was excluded due to being in the Malay language, and two articles were excluded due to the use of water mint species. Finally, five Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) with a total of 499 participants were included. The quality rating of the included trials indicates that three studies were of high quality, and two studies were of low quality. The studies examined primary dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome. Statistically significant reductions in pain severity, improved cognitive function, and gastrointestinal symptoms were observed.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that peppermint may be effective in improving menstrual disorders. However, high-quality RCTs that overcome the methodological limitations of the current studies are needed.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects 4-15% of the global population, and the limited efficacy of existing pharmacologic therapies has driven growing interest in plant-based therapeutic options among both patients and clinicians. A comprehensive assessment of all plant extracts investigated in IBS is therefore essential, given the limited effectiveness of conventional treatments and the increasing interest in complementary approaches. Evidence from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses consistently indicates that peppermint oil is the most effective botanical agent, particularly for reducing abdominal pain and overall IBS symptom severity. Iberogast (STW-5 and STW-5 II) has also demonstrated clinical improvements across multiple trials, while curcumin shows mechanistic and preliminary clinical potential by modulating several IBS-related pathways. In contrast, extracts such as Curcuma xanthorrhiza, Fumaria officinalis, and various Ayurvedic formulations have not shown significant clinical benefit. Other agents, including Aloe vera, flavonoids, St John's wort, and ginger, exhibit mixed or inconsistent results, reflecting heterogeneity in study designs and underlying mechanisms. A review of international guidelines reveals that peppermint oil is the only plant-based therapy consistently acknowledged across adult and pediatric recommendations. The aim of this review is to summarize, compare, and critically evaluate all plant extracts studied for the prevention and treatment of IBS, integrating mechanistic pathways, clinical evidence, and current international guideline recommendations to clarify their therapeutic relevance for clinical practice.

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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of brain-gut interaction that presents with abdominal pain, bloating associated with variable stool consistency. Many IBS patients prefer plant-based preparations to pharmacological therapy; however, the utility of this approach is not well established. To address this issue, a systematic review with meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of plant-based therapy in IBS patients was performed. Literature search with 3 electronic databases (Medline via PubMed, Embase via Ovid, and Web of Science Core Collection) from inception to May 2024. Efficacy was assessed using dichotomous ratings of change in IBS symptoms. A random effects model with 95% confidence intervals was used. Through the screening process, 60 eligible studies were identified (6329 patients). Meta-analysis was performed for fiber (8 studies, RR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.00-1.49), peppermint oil (7 studies, RR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.33-2.00), Aloe vera (3 studies, RR = 1.25; 95% CI: 0.76-2.06), and Chinese herbal medicine (7 studies, RR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.27-1.92). For other plant-based substances investigated in at least one randomized controlled trial (RCT) (e.g., St. John's wort, Anise oil), there were insufficient data for a meta-analysis. The quality of many studies was limited. The findings demonstrate that the treatment of IBS patients with peppermint oil and Chinese herbal medicine were more effective than placebo and had a good safety profile. Dietary fiber showed effects that approached significance. Further, well-powered RCTs are needed to establish the place of plant-based preparations in IBS treatment.

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ObjectivesChemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remains common in patients with breast cancer despite standard antiemetic therapy. Essential oil-based interventions, including inhalation aromatherapy and essential oil-derived preparations, are increasingly used as supportive care, but their efficacy remains uncertain.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs comparing essential oil-based interventions with control conditions in adults with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science were searched through 14 February 2026. The acute phase was defined as within 24 h after chemotherapy. Continuous outcomes were pooled as Hedges' g standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% CIs using random-effects REML models. RoB 2, GRADE, and Knapp-Hartung sensitivity analyses were applied.ResultsFour RCTs were included. For acute nausea severity (4 RCTs, n = 336), essential oil-based interventions were associated with reduced symptoms versus control (SMD = -0.49, 95% CI -0.76 to -0.22; I2 = 35.42%). For vomiting frequency (2 RCTs, n = 144), the pooled effect was not significant (SMD = -0.25, 95% CI -0.75 to 0.25; I2 = 56.52%). For vomiting severity/score (2 RCTs, n = 192), a modest reduction was observed in the primary REML analysis (SMD = -0.31, 95% CI -0.59 to -0.03; I2 = 0%), but not after Knapp-Hartung adjustment. RoB 2 identified one study at low risk, two with some concerns, and one at high risk of bias. GRADE certainty was low for acute nausea and very low for vomiting outcomes.ConclusionEssential oil-based interventions may reduce acute nausea in women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy, but evidence remains limited, heterogeneous, and of low to very low certainty. Findings should be interpreted cautiously because the evidence included inhalation aromatherapy trials and one exploratory oral peppermint extract trial. These interventions should not replace guideline-based antiemetic therapy. Larger, well-designed RCTs with prospectively registered protocols are needed.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier [CRD420261308323].

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