{"entity":{"id":"peppermint","kind":"technology","name":"Peppermint and peppermint oil","aka":[],"tldr":"Peppermint oil has trial evidence for irritable bowel symptoms and indigestion. In people with cancer, small studies suggest that breathing in peppermint oil may reduce chemotherapy nausea, and a herbal mouthwash with peppermint and chamomile eased mouth sores after stem cell transplant, but none of this is yet established. It can worsen heartburn.","summary":"Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is used orally for digestive complaints and topically and by inhalation for aches and nausea. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs summary cites meta-analyses showing reduced irritable bowel symptoms and trials for dyspepsia and colonoscopy spasm. For nausea, inhaled peppermint oil helped in pregnancy and after cardiac surgery, though other findings suggest aromatherapy is only as effective as placebo for postoperative nausea. In cancer, inhalation may reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in children and adults, and an herbal mouthwash containing chamomile and peppermint alleviated oral mucositis after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. People with gallstones, hiatus hernia or reflux should consult a doctor first; heartburn, nausea and dermatitis are reported. Peppermint oil inhibits several CYP enzymes in vitro, raised felodipine levels, has variable effects on cyclosporine, can increase skin absorption of topical fluorouracil, and minor to moderate interactions with docetaxel and cisplatin have been reported.","status":"phase-2","asOf":"2026-11-04","links":[{"label":"MSK About Herbs: Peppermint (page last updated 16 November 2023)","url":"https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/peppermint"}],"tags":["complementary","supportive-care","evidence:insufficient"],"related":["chamomile","lavender"],"cancers":[],"sections":["supportive-care","chemotherapy"],"technologies":["integrative-oncology","aromatherapy-cancer","antiemetic-therapy"],"targets":[],"drugs":["fluorouracil","docetaxel","cisplatin"],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":["b-toxicity-qol"],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"principle":"Menthol relaxes gut smooth muscle by blocking calcium channels and acts on cold-sensing TRPM8 receptors; inhaled aroma may act partly through expectation.","strengths":["Trial evidence for irritable bowel syndrome","Cheap and simple to inhale"],"limitations":["Cancer nausea data small and preliminary","Aromatherapy no better than placebo in some trials","Worsens reflux; possible drug interactions"]},"route":"/technologies/peppermint/","neighbours":{"technology":[{"id":"antiemetic-therapy","kind":"technology","name":"Antiemetics for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting","route":"/technologies/antiemetic-therapy/"},{"id":"aromatherapy-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Aromatherapy","route":"/technologies/aromatherapy-cancer/"},{"id":"chamomile","kind":"technology","name":"Chamomile","route":"/technologies/chamomile/"},{"id":"integrative-oncology","kind":"technology","name":"Evidence-based integrative oncology","route":"/technologies/integrative-oncology/"},{"id":"lavender","kind":"technology","name":"Lavender (oral and aromatherapy)","route":"/technologies/lavender/"}],"section":[{"id":"chemotherapy","kind":"section","name":"Chemotherapy","route":"/fronts/chemotherapy/"},{"id":"supportive-care","kind":"section","name":"Supportive Care & Survivorship","route":"/fronts/supportive-care/"}],"drug":[{"id":"cisplatin","kind":"drug","name":"Cisplatin","route":"/drugs/cisplatin/"},{"id":"docetaxel","kind":"drug","name":"Docetaxel","route":"/drugs/docetaxel/"},{"id":"fluorouracil","kind":"drug","name":"Fluorouracil (5-FU)","route":"/drugs/fluorouracil/"}],"bottleneck":[{"id":"b-toxicity-qol","kind":"bottleneck","name":"Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued","route":"/bottlenecks/b-toxicity-qol/"}]}}