Spearmint, Mentha

Erauseminze, /. curled mint (Mentha criapa) spearmint (Mentha apicata). 

Ravid U, Bassat M, Putievsky E, Weinstein V, Ikan R, Isolation and determination of optically pure carvone enantiomers from caraway Carum carvi L.), diU Anethum aveolens L.), spearmint Mentha spicata L.) and Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds, Flavour Fragr J 2 95-97, 1987. 

Spearmint oils are obtained by steam distillation of the flowering herbs of Mentha spicata L. (native spearmint) and Mentha cardiaca Ger. (Scotch spearmint). They are colorless to yellow-green liquids with a fresh, caraway-minty odor. 

The main renewable resource for L-carvone is spearmint oil (Mentha spicata), which contains up to 75% of this flavour chemical. There also exists a synthetic process for the manufacturing of L-carvone, which is based on (-t)-limonene, which is available as a by-product of the citrus juice industry as a major component of orange peel oil (Scheme 13.4). The synthesis was developed in the nineteenth century and starts with the reaction of (-t)-limonene and nitrosyl chloride, which ensures the asymmetry of the ring. Treatment with base of the nitrosyl chloride adduct results in elimination of hydrogen chloride and rearrangement of the nitrosyl function to an oxime. Acid treatment of the oxime finally results in l-carvone. 

Spearmint Mentha spicata (Labiatae/Lamiaceae) fresh leaf 1-2... 

Colby S. M., Alonso W. R., Katahira E. J., McGarvey D. J. and Croteau R. (1993) 4S-limonene synthase from the oil glands of spearmint (Mentha spicata). J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23016-23024. 

R)-Carvone and (S)-carvone are enantiomers and can be distinguished from each other by their optical rotations, by circular dichroism and by smell. Laevorotatory (R)-carvone has a spearmint smell (spearmint = Mentha spicata), whilst (S)-(+)-carvone has a caraway odor. 

Ponnamperuma, K. and Croteau, R., Purification and characterization of an NADPH-cytochrome P450 (cytochrome c) reductase from spearmint (Mentha spicata) glandular, Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 329, 9-16, 1996. 

Most ketones found in essential oils are toxic when isolated compounds are used. However, many oils high in ketones are considered safe to use for example, camphor is found in Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) at 15-30% and in Lavandula intermedia (also known as Lavandula hybrida) (lavandin) at 5-15%, and carvone is the main component of Mentha spicata (spearmint) at up to 70%. 

Therea renumerous species of mint including peppermint, Mcnf/zapipenta, spearmint, Mentha spicata, and cornmint, Mentha arvensis. Mentha piperita is actually a hybrid species bred from spearmint Mentha spicata and watermint Mentha aquatica. They all contain subspecies and chemotypes. Mints have a long tradition of culinary, fragrance, cosmetic and therapeutic applications. 

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. 

Different plants including spearmint (Mentha spicata L ), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) were extracted with CO2 in a high pressure apparatus with 5 L extractor vessel volume. Fractionation of extracts was carried out by releasing the separation pressure at two stages. The extracts were separated into essential oil rich oil and fatty/waxy products. The extracts were collected as separate samples successively in time. The extraction with carbon dioxide was compared to conventional steam distillation (essential oils) and to Soxhlet extraction with hexane (fatty oils). 

Devon and Scott s Handbook91) essential oil from Salvia dorisiana92 contains perillyl acetate and the rare methyl perillate (34 R = C02Me) tricyclene is present in Agathis australis as a major component,93 and ds-carveyl acetate is a major component in Japanese spearmint (Mentha spicata crispa).94 Some rare oxygenated menthanes have been isolated from Mentha gentilis,95 and from Piper nigrum.96... 

Bonamonte D, Mundo L, Daddabbo M, Foti C. AUergic contact dermatitis from Mentha spicata (spearmint). Contact Dermatitis 2001 45(5) 298. 

L-Carvone Warm-herbaceous, breadhke, spicy, spearmint Spearmint (Mentha spicata)... 

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]. 

Oil of spearmint - Part 1 Native type (Mentha spicata L.)... 

Both enantiomeric forms of carvone are readily available. /-(-)-Carvone (20) is the major constituent of spearmint oil from Mentha spicata, whereas 6/-(+)-car-vone is a major constituent of caraway oil from the fruit of Carum cami or dill from the fruit of Anethum graveolens. t/Z-Carvone is found in gingergrass oils. 

The formation of a hybrid combines, in a single species, the desirable characteristics of two or more separate species. An example is peppermint which is a hybrid between Watermint (Mentha aquatica) and Spearmint (Mentha spicata). In medicinal plant research the usual tactic is to combine ( cross ) a plant with a high % content of the desired compound with a related plant with high phytomass or bulk, thus giving a high overall yield. 

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