Corn Mint is a perennial plant with a creeping root, 10-60 cm in height, often reaching up to 1 m in height. Stems branched, more often elongated, like upright, often reddish, with hairs pointing downwards. The leaves are ovoid or elongated ovoid, sometimes elongated elliptic, 2-6.5 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, pointed at the tips, serrated edges. The flowers are pale violet, lilac (rarely white or pink), 3-4 mm in size, which are formed in ball-shaped inflorescences in leaf axils. Corn Mint blooms from June to October. The seeds ripen from August to October.

The plant likes to grow in fields, meadows, on the banks of water bodies, as well as in swampy areas. Corn Mint likes slightly acidic soil and grows well on loamy soil. The plant is hardy, up to -15C. The purity meter is prone to hybridization.

The above-ground part of field mint is collected for medicinal purposes. The plant is dried on sieves, in shady places or in forced dryers at a temperature not exceeding 30C.

Corn Mint contains many valuable chemical compounds - menthol, menthone, neomenthol, limonene, methyl acetate, piperitone, beta-caryophyllene, alpha pinene, beta pinene, tannins and flavonoids.

The aerial part of the plant contains essential oils (<2%), which include menthol, limonene, alpha pinene, camphene, caryophyllene, octanol, thymol, isobaldrian aldehyde, furfural, menthone, mentenone, piperitone, isobaldrian and caproic acids and other components.

The presence of alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides and diterpenes was also determined using chemical tests of dry and Corn Mint mass.

Medicinal significance

For medicinal purposes, Corn Mint essential oil is used as a stomach-improving and pain-relieving agent, menthol-in case of runny nose, migraine, as well as an antiseptic and pain-relieving agent, it is also used to treat frostbite.

Corn Mint leaves are used in case of migraine, neuralgia; all surface parts - as an antitussive, expectorant, as well as in case of tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, allergy. It also helps as an appetite stimulant, hyperacid gastritis, digestive tract and liver colic, also acts as an astringent.

Corn Mint is used primarily in appetizing, stomachic, diaphoretic, choleretic and sedative tea blends.

Not recommended for use

Corn Mint containing menthol should never be given to infants, as menthol can suppress or even stop breathing. The recommended age when a child can be given a field meter is 5 years. Clean meter is also not suitable for people with a tendency to allergies, with reduced arterial blood pressure and with low tone of venous vessels. It is also not recommended to use the plant during pregnancy and lactation, or at least not to use it often and in large quantities.