Page 113 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303 (1)

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

MENTHA HERB

The dried leaves and flowering tops of Mentha piperata linne family Labiatae
(Lamiaceae).

The plant growing wild throughout Europe and cultivated in England, France, Germany,
America and Russia.

Macroscopical Characters
The drug has a characteristic aromatic odor and aromatic taste followed by a sensation of
cold in mouth. The stem is quadrangular, erect, green to dark purple, smooth with few scattered
deflected hairs. The leaves are opposite decussate, shortly petiolate and ovate- lanceolate. The
lamina has acute apex, acute or rounded base and serrated margin. The upper surface is dark green
nearly glabrous and the lower one is lighting green and hairy. The petiole is short and slightly
hairy. The flowers are small, purple, zygomorphic and occur in terminal spike consists of closely
arranged verticillasters. Bracts are oblong lanceolate, calyx is tubular, 5- toothed, green to dark
purple and hairy. Corolla is dark purple, hairy and bilabiate. Androecium is formed of 4 equal
short stamens. Ovary is superior, bicarpellary, tetralocular with gynobasic style terminating with
a bifid stigma. The fruit consists of 4 nutlets, each is ellipsoidal and blackish- brown in color.

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