Minthostachys mollis
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| Minthostachys mollis | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Minthostachys |
| Species: | M. mollis |
| Binomial name | |
| Minthostachys mollis (Kunth) Griseb. |
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Minthostachys mollis (muña) is a medicinal plant restricted to the South American Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia. It is the most variable and widely distributed species of the genus Minthostachys.
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[edit] Medicinal uses
In the indigenous medicine traditions of the Andes, the plant is made into tea and used medicinally as a carminative and aphrodisiac.[citation needed]
[edit] Etymology
Its common name "muña" comes from Quechua.
[edit] Chemical characteristics
The principal components of essential oil are as follows:
- pulegone
- menthone
- menthol
- (-)-β-pinene
- (-)-α-pinene
- limonene
- isomenthone
- piperic acid
- eucalyptol
- carvone
[edit] Pharmacological characteristics
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2011) |
| Internal | External |
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| Digestive aid | Rheumatic pain relief |
| Antispasmodic (cramp and spasm relief) | Expelling activity against ectoparasites |
| Antidiarrheal (symptomatic relief for diarrhea) | |
| Anthelmintic (expelling parasitic worms) | |
| Carminative (against cramps in the digestive tract) | |
| Emmenagogue (stimulating blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus, thus sometimes stimulating menstruation) |
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| Inhalations against catarrh and sinusitis |
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- USDA, ARS, GRIN. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Minthostachys mollis information from NPGS/GRIN (7 September 2008)
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