Peppermint is amongst the most extensively consumed medicinal herbs globally; its diverse usages span industry as well as the culinary and medicinal fields. Peppermint has been proven to have important insecticidal, herbicidal, cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical as well as ethnomedicinal properties. It is used as flavoring in foods, beverages, gum, toothpaste, and mouthwash; for digestive health, such as with indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea, diarrhea, and flatulence; for pain relief, helping with headaches, muscle aches, joint pain, and itching; for skin health, reducing skin irritation, itchiness, and redness; in aromatherapy, to treat coughs and colds, reduce pain, improve mental function, and reduce stress; for its antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties; to improve athletic performance, to improve stamina and power during exercise; and as bug repellent, repelling insects and attract beneficial pollinators like butterflies, bees, and moths. Considering the diverse uses of peppermint, this new book highlights the key advancements in peppermint research in the past two decades, including cultivation practices, medicinal significance of the plant, composition of the essential oil, effect of abiotic stressors, and strategies to enhance the productivity of the plant under normal and perturbed environmental conditions. The volume provides an introduction and brief overview of peppermint and its essential oil and then discusses the traditional and pharmacological significance of peppermint and its secondary metabolites. The abiotic stresses of peppermint and alleviation strategies, including the use of conventional plant growth regulators as well as novel innovations encompassing nanoparticles and depolymerized polysaccharides, are covered as well. Cropping systems are discussed also. Key features:Presents an abundance of recent information on peppermintCovers the proven and potential roles of peppermint and its secondary metabolites on human healthDiscusses the influence of conventional plant growth regulators, nanoparticles, and depolymerized polysaccharides on the performance of peppermint growth under normal and stressful environmental conditionsPeppermint: Novel Strategies for Performance Improvement will prove to be an important information source for peppermint cultivators as well as for plant researchers, academicians, farmers, pharmacologists, and companies interested in traditional medicinal products and interested in exploring the potential of peppermint.
