Common spearmint

Spearmint Oil occurs as a colorless, yellow, or green-yellow liquid having the characteristic odor and taste of spearmint. It is the volatile oil obtained by steam distillation from the fresh overground parts of the flowering plant Mentha spicata L. (Common Spearmint), or of Mentha cardiaca Gerard ex Baker (Scotch Spearmint) (Fam. Labiatae). It may be rectified by distillation. 

Synonyms cas 8008-79-5 oil of spearmint common spearmint scotch spearmint garden mint green... 

Dimethyl sulfoxide occurs widely at levels of <3 ppm. It has been isolated from spearmint oil, com, barley, malt, alfalfa, beets, cabbage, cucumbers, oats, onion, Swiss chard, tomatoes, raspberries, beer, coffee, milk, and tea (5). It is a common constituent of natural waters, and it occurs in seawater in the 2one of light penetration where it may represent a product of algal metaboHsm (6). Its occurrence in rainwater may result from oxidation of atmospheric dimethyl sulfide, which occurs as part of the natural transfer of sulfur of biological origin (7,8). 

The mammalian olfactory system possesses enormous discriminatory power. It is claimed that humans can perceive many thousands of different odorous molecules, termed odorants. Even slight alterations in the structure of an odorant can lead to profound changes in perceived odor quality. One commonly cited example is carvone, whose L- and D-stereoisomers are perceived as spearmint and caraway, respectively. However, more subtle molecular alterations can also generate striking changes in perception. 

Table II lists 13 of the most commonly-used chemicals in the flavor industry. For example, cinnamic aldehyde is used for the generation of cassia or cinnamon flavors, carvone for spearmint flavors, citral for citrus flavors, and benzaldehyde for cherry flavors. As can be seen, the known s values for these compounds are...

Source Mentha viridis L. (syn. M. spicata L.) var. crispa Benth. for Common (Native) Spearmint [283-656-2 84696-51-5] and Mentha cardiaca Gerard ex Baker for Scotch Spearmint [294-809-8 91770-24-0]. 

As an example of the co-existence of systematic, semi-systematic and trivial names, we could look at the monoterpenoid ketone, carvone. Carvone occurs in both enantiomeric forms in nature, the laevo-form in spearmint and the dextro-form in caraway. The trivial name carvone is derived from the Latin name for caraway, Carum carvi. The basic carbon skeleton is that of l-isopropyl-4-methylcyclohexane. This skeleton is very common in nature and is particularly important in the genus Mentha, which includes various types of mint, since it forms the backbone of most of the important components of mint oils. The skeleton has therefore been given the name p-menthane and the numbering system used for it is shown in Figure 1.3. Therefore, any of the following names may be used to describe the same molecule carvone, p-mentha-1,8-dien-6-one and 1 -methyl-4-(l-methylethenyl)cyclohex-l-ene-6-one. To classify it, we could say it was an unsaturated ketone of the /7-menthane family of monoterpenoids. 

Interest in limonene synthase stems in part from the fact that (-)-limonene is the common precursor of menthol and carvone, respectively, of the essential oils of peppermint and spearmint species (Scheme 6) [79]. The cyclization leading to limonene is the simplest of all terpenoid cyclizations and the reaction has ample precedent in solvolytic model studies [58, 59, 80]. Thus, it is not... 

Figure 5.21 shows some of the commoner monoterpenoid ketones found in essential oils. Both enantiomers of carvone are found in nature, the (R)-(-)- (usually referred to as /-carvone) (105) being the commoner. This enantiomer provides the characteristic odor of spearmint (Mentha cardiaca, Mentha gracilis, Mentha spicata, and Mentha viridis), the oil of which usually contains 55-75% of /-carvone. The (5)-(+)-enantiomer (106) is found in caraway at levels of 30-65% and... 

TPC was determined in several herbal infusions and values of 51 for common thyme tea, 43 for common sage tea, 36 for rosemary tea, 36 for spearmint tea, 31 for peppermint tea, 30 for tarragon tea, 26 for winter savory tea, 25 for lemon thyme... 

There are considerable differences in the composition of the various mint oils, determined by species and environmental conditions during growth, harvesting, and postharvest handling. It is convenient to consider these oils in two groups (a) peppermint and (b) spearmint. Peppermint (M. piperita) and commint (M. arvensis) oils have much in common, the principle constituents of each being menthol, menthone, menthyl acetate, and other esters. It is the ratio of these components that determines their distinctive profiles. 

Carvone, also known as p-mentha-6,8-dien-2-one and carvol, is a material of commercial importance and has been reviewed by Clark (310). There are two enantiomers of which the (/ )-( )- is the commoner and is used in much greater quantities. If the stereochemistry is not specified, it is usually the (/ )-(—)-enantiomer, usually referred to as /-carvone, which is intended. Both isomers occur fairly widely in essential oils. The most significant natural sources of carvone are spearmint, dill, and caraway. The term spearmint is applied to various Mentha species including M. cardiaca, M. gracilis, M. spicata, and M. viridis and these usually contain 55-75% of the (/ )-( )-enantiomer (242). The (5)-(+)-enantiomer (243) is found in diU (Anethum graveolens) at levels of 30-65% and at 50-75% in caraway (Conan carvi). 

Monomenthyl succinate is a common constituent in peppermint and spearmint. ... 

The mint oils (especially spearmint oil) are commonly used as fragrance components in toothpastes, mouthwashes, gargles, soaps, detergents, creams, lotions, and perfumes. Maximum use levels reported for spearmint and commint oils are 0.4-0.8%, respectively, in perfumes. ... 

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