Scarpellini Emidio, Broeders Bert, Schol Jolien, Santori Pierangelo, Addarii Mariachiara, Boccuto Luigi, Carbone Florencia, Abenavoli Ludovico, Tack Jan
Hepatology and Internal Medicine Unit, "Madonna del Soccorso" General Hospital, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
Translational Research in Gastrointestinal Disorders, Gasthuisberg University Hospital, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
Curr Pharm Des. 2023;29(8):576-583. doi: 10.2174/1381612829666230328163449.
For decades, mint has been used worldwide for its relieving effects against gastrointestinal disturbances. Peppermint is a perennial herb common in Europe and North America. The active ingredient of peppermint oil is menthol and has various gastroenterological and non-gastroenterological uses, especially in the context of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs).
We conducted a literature search on the main medical databases for original articles, reviews, meta-analyses, randomized clinical trials, and case series using the following keywords and acronyms and their associations: peppermint oil, gastro-intestinal motility, irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, gastrointestinal sensitivity and gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Peppermint oil and its constituents exert smooth muscle relaxant and anti-spasmodic effects on the lower esophageal sphincter, stomach, duodenum, and large bowel. Moreover, peppermint oil can modulate visceral and central nervous system sensitivity. Taken together, these effects suggest using peppermint oil both for improved endoscopic performance and for treating functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome. Importantly, peppermint oil has an attractive safety profile compared to classical pharmacological treatments, especially in FGIDs.
Peppermint oil is a safe herbal medicine therapy for application in gastroenterology, with promising scientific perspectives and rapidly expanding use in clinical practice.
几十年来，薄荷在全球范围内一直被用于缓解胃肠道不适。薄荷是一种在欧洲和北美常见的多年生草本植物。薄荷油的活性成分是薄荷醇，具有多种胃肠病学和非胃肠病学用途，尤其是在功能性胃肠疾病（FGIDs）方面。
我们在主要医学数据库中进行文献检索，查找使用以下关键词、首字母缩略词及其组合的原创文章、综述、荟萃分析、随机临床试验和病例系列：薄荷油、胃肠动力、肠易激综合征、功能性消化不良、胃肠道敏感性和胃肠内镜检查。
薄荷油及其成分对食管下括约肌、胃、十二指肠和大肠具有平滑肌松弛和抗痉挛作用。此外，薄荷油可以调节内脏和中枢神经系统的敏感性。综合来看，这些作用表明薄荷油可用于改善内镜检查效果以及治疗功能性消化不良和肠易激综合征。重要的是，与传统药物治疗相比，薄荷油具有良好的安全性，尤其是在功能性胃肠疾病方面。
薄荷油是一种安全的草药疗法，可应用于胃肠病学领域，具有广阔的科学前景，且在临床实践中的应用正在迅速扩大。
