胡椒薄荷(Peppermint，Mentha×piperita)

　　唇形科(Lamiaceae)薄荷属(Mentha)

　　学名：Mentha×piperita

　　中文名：胡椒薄荷

　　胡椒薄荷是由绿薄荷(Mentha spicata L.)和柠檬薄荷(Mentha aquatica L.)杂交培植而成#2，蒸馏整株开花的胡椒薄荷可得薄荷油#3。美国药典定义薄荷油应含不低于5%的menthyl acetate，以及不低于50%的游离薄荷醇和薄荷酯(menthol esters)#3-4。

【生理活性】

　　薄荷油含多种成分，主要有薄荷醇(menthol，55.0%)、薄荷酮(menthone，14.0-32.0%)、桉油醇(cineole，3.5-14.0%)、乙酸薄荷酯(menthyl acetate，2.8-10.0%)、异薄荷酮(isomenthone，1.5-10.0%)薄荷呋喃(menthofuran，1.0-9.0%)、柠烯(limonene，1.0-5.0%)、胡薄荷酮(pulegone，4.0%)和香芹酮(carvone，max.1.0%)#5。

民俗疗法

　　传统医学使用薄荷叶作为利胆药或治疗消化疾病，例如消化不良、胀气和肠胃炎。也可治腹泻、支气管炎、痢疾、经痛、发烧、高血压、肝胆失调、泌尿道和呼吸道感染。还会当作通经剂、促进乳汁分泌剂、杀虫剂和镇静剂。#2

　　英国草药典描述能治疗胀气、痉挛和促进胆汁分泌#2。德国草药专论(German Commission E monographs)记载，薄荷油(叶)内服可抗痉挛(上肠胃道和胆管)，治疗肠躁症、呼吸道黏膜炎和口腔黏膜发炎。外用有缓解肌肉疼痛和神经痛的效果。另外也有利胆、排胀气、抑菌、化痰和降温等疗效。#3

抗氧化

　　体外实验的研究结果#6，胡椒薄荷酒精萃取物可有效抑制油脂氧化，效果大幅优于同一实验的甜罗勒酒精萃取物。在高血脂大鼠的实验#7，胡椒薄荷叶水萃取物不仅能优化脂肪组成，降低血糖、胆固醇和三酸甘油酯，还有减少油脂氧化和提高抗氧化酵素活性的功效。

抗菌

　　胡椒薄荷精油和萃取物具有抑菌功效#8-11。萃取物可抑制嗜热链球菌(Streptococcus thermophilus)和保加利亚乳杆菌(Lactobacillus bulgaricus)的生长#10。薄荷醇和精油能抑制金黄酿脓葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus pyogenes)、金黄色葡萄球菌、黏质沙雷菌(Serratia marcescens)、大肠杆菌和鸟结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium avium)，也可抑制真菌白色念珠菌、Aspergillus albus和皮癣菌类(dermatophytic fungi)#8,10。

抗发炎、抗癌

　　发炎反应除了和多种慢性病有关，近年研究表示它也是肿瘤生长的重要原因#12。多篇研究指胡椒薄荷可预防发炎和血管增生#13-15。它的甲醇萃取物可抑制小鼠白血病细胞(L1210)#16。N-乙醯氨基转移酵素(N-acetyltransferase)能将环境化学物质在体内代谢成致癌物，高浓度的薄荷醇可抑制人类肝癌细胞内N-乙醯氨基转移酵素(N-acetyltransferase)活性，阻止体内致癌物产生#17。

抗痉挛、改善肠胃疾病

　　薄荷油藉由减少大肠和空肠(jejunum)钙离子通道的穿透性#18有松弛肠胃平滑肌效果#19，能改善肠躁症和痉挛反应。薄荷油和薄荷醇关闭钙离子通道的特性在大鼠、豚鼠的心肌或脑中突触，以及小鸡视网膜神经实验都能见到#1。57位肠躁症患者餐与的临床试验#20，实验组口服薄荷油肠衣胶囊每日2次(450毫克薄荷油/日)持续4周，结果症状改善50%以上的患者，实验组有75%，对照组仅38%。

抗过敏

　　大鼠口服薄荷叶的50%酒精萃取物能有效抑制过敏反应，研究证明浓度在3μg/ml即可减少组织胺的释放，口服剂量在300和1000 mg/kg可显著抑制喷嚏、揉鼻等抗原引起的过敏#21。作者再纯化有效成分，结果确认黄酮类的木犀草素-7-O-芸香糖甙(luteolin-7-O-rutinoside)是发挥抗过敏的主要成分#22。

减少疲惫、提神、增加活力

　　将薄荷油腹腔注射于小鼠，结果小鼠活动力显著提高，后续研究发现桉油醇、薄荷酮、异薄荷酮、薄荷醇、(R)-(+)-胡薄荷酮、乙酸薄荷酯和石竹烯(caryophyllene)这些薄荷油所含的成分都能明显增加小鼠活力，此外，若将腹腔注射改成静脉点滴注射(Intravenous administration)，则效果更佳#23。也有其它研究表示#24，薄荷油似乎能改善白天嗜睡情况，不过这作用机转和可靠性需再进一步研究。

改善呼吸道感染

　　有研究分析市面上27种茶包或草药型态的薄荷茶#25，结果发现主要的多酚成分有圣草次甘(Eriocitrin)、12-hydroxyjasmonate sulfate、木犀草素-7-芸香糖甙和迷迭香酸。随机选7种样品检测肺炎披衣菌(C.pneumoniae)的抑制力，结果7种样品在浓度250微克/毫克时都能有效抑制，程度约20.7–69.5%，其中有些样品还表现出正比关系，对于急性的呼吸道感染有正面助益。

建议治疗方式

　　抗痉挛的口服建议方式为5滴薄荷油兑10毫升水#26；治疗消化道疾病可适量稀释薄荷油0.2-0.4毫升，每日3次#27；餐前服用薄荷油0.2毫升兑25毫升水能缓和消化不良#28；餐前或用餐时服用含0.2毫升薄荷油胶囊，每日3次持续2-3周可改善肠躁症#29-35，病况严重可将疗程增到6周#33。

　　将毛巾浸入含有0.5-1.0毫升薄荷油的2公升热水，然后放在腹部20-30分钟每日3次，能缓和腹部胀气#36。哺乳后涂擦含有0.2%v/w薄荷油的凝胶14天，有预防乳头破皮效果#37-38。使用2-4滴含10%薄荷醇的按摩油每日3-4次按摩患处，可治疗带状疱疹感染后神经痛(Postherpetic Neuralgia)#39。

　　纤维支气管镜检查前吸闻3毫升含1%薄荷醇溶液能预防咳嗽#40；5小时内每隔1小时吸闻含75%薄荷醇的尤加利精油可治咳嗽#41。3-4滴薄荷油加进热水并嗅闻能治鼻塞。工作中添加4滴精油在扩香仪可增进记忆和注意力#42。

可能风险

　　成人口服薄荷油最佳剂量和方式是每日3次0.2-0.4毫升的薄荷油肠溶胶囊(enteric-coated capsules)#1。应避免外用薄荷油在幼儿脸部或胸部，尤其是鼻周，可能诱发窒息、喉咙或支气管痉挛，以及急性的呼吸衰竭#43。薄荷醇可能会增进其它皮肤用药的经皮吸收率#3。小鼠、大鼠和仓鼠口服薄荷醇的实验，每日吃190,220,400和430毫克/公斤体重的最高剂量不会产出有缺陷的胎儿#2。虽然没有任何研究探讨，但着有Clinical Aromatherapy的作者Jane Buckle会建议癫痫患者避开迷迭香、茴香、牛膝草松樟酮(Hyssopus officinalis CT pinocamphone)和胡椒薄荷精油#44。

【芳疗功效】

　　临床显示，吸闻薄荷醇能有效减少呼吸道的不适#45，并可减少慢性咳嗽及咳嗽敏感度(cough sensitivity)#46。薄荷油香气是美国海军测试防毒面具的方法，它的香气成分穿透力极高，能通过充满鼻涕的鼻窦，所以也有缓解鼻窦炎功效#44。

　　11位长期住院的长者，使用2%玫瑰天竺葵和胡椒薄荷精油的按摩油(荷荷芭基底油)，每周2次给予5分钟按摩持续4周，结果健康问卷评量显示，能有效降低心理压力#47。

　　50位化疗患者参与的临床试验#48，实验组在化疗前以及4小时、8小时后，分别给予含2滴绿薄荷或胡椒薄荷精油的胶囊，结果显示口服绿薄荷或胡椒薄荷的组别比起对照组，因化疗产生的恶心感都显著降低。

【料理应用】

　　5微升/毫升浓度的胡椒薄荷精油加入腰果、芭乐、芒果和凤梨汁中，在1小时内即能有效杀菌，浓度在1.25微升/毫升以下不影响甜度、酸度或pH，不过会降低风味和顾客的整体接受度，若换成土薄荷(Mentha arvensis)精油，杀菌效果会更好#49。

　　香草的保存实验描述#50，生鲜胡椒薄荷经清洗浸泡氯水杀菌再去除残留水后，使用PVC保鲜膜包覆储藏于0℃21天，仍能有效维持色泽、叶绿素、胡萝卜素和抗氧化物含量，且香气增加。

　　喂食含有20–30 g/kg胡椒薄荷饲料的7天大日本鹌鹑，经5周饲养后，吃含有胡椒薄荷饲料的鹌鹑，其总胆固醇、三酸甘油酯、坏胆固醇和油脂氧化物明显比对照组少，好胆固醇显著增加。料理时的肉汁和肉损失也很明显减少#51。

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　　作者：cofactor412