vitamin, over the counter remedy, or cognitive training has been clinically proven to
treat the brain disease that accounts for sixty to eighty percent of dementia cases. Alzheimer’s
disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that impairs memory and other important
functions vital for cognition. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in the current world
population, AD affects approximately 5.5 million people in the United States alone, and an
estimated 5.3 million are over the age of 65. This number is expected to triple by 2050. Not to
mention, by 2050, Alzheimer’s and other dementias are expected to cost the nation as much as
1.1 trillion dollars (“Latest,” 2017). Dementia is a general term for disorders of the mental
processes, with AD being the most common type. Other types include: Parkinson’s disease,
Huntington disease, and Vascular dementia. Peppermint, an essential oil known for its profound
cognitive advantages in a normal brain, can translate its inherent beneficial effects on memory to
tangles. The plaques consist largely of the microscopic protein fragment beta-amyloid (Aβ or
Abeta), which is produced by a large membrane protein called amyloid precursor protein (APP),
that plays a significant role in the neuronal growth and repair processes. When APP is activated
to perform its normal duties, it is cut by other proteins into separate sections that stay inside
cells. APP can be cut in a variety of ways, however, under some irregular circumstances, one of
the pieces produced from the cut is beta-amyloid. The beta-amyloid, with its glutinous tendency,
accumulates in the brain and disrupts communication between brain cells, ultimately killing
traumatic brain injuries. While the underlying cause of AD is yet to be discovered, some
researchers believe that the flaws in the processes regulating production or the disposal of beta-
amyloid are the primary cause of AD. Scientists are testing a number of strategies to hinder the
effects of beta-amyloid. Several drugs have been tested, but there has been no clear indication
that these drugs moderated Alzheimer’s brain changes. In addition to this, scientists have
explored drugs that center on preventative treatment. Due to some studies that suggest that the
toxic effects of beta amyloid occur before the formation of plaques, researchers have focused on
preventing the initial interactions beta-amyloid and neurons. Neurons are essential for storing
memories and processing thoughts and emotions; thus, the erosion obstructs learning and
memory.
The herb peppermint, has been used in Ancient Egyptian times dating back to 1000 B.C.,
when it was valued as a remedy for indigestion. During the eighteenth century, peppermint
became popular among the Western Europeans as a means for curing nausea, vomiting, morning
sickness, and respiratory infections. In modern times, it appears in the British Herbal
Pharmacopoeia as a treatment for intestinal colic, borborygmi, colds, morning sickness, and
menstruation pain. Science continues to expand the list of conditions that can be treated by the
use of peppermint. Peppermint (Mentha Piperita) is a hybrid mint, a cross between spearmint
(Mentha Spicata) and watermint (Mentha Aquatica) cultivated in Europe and North America
(“Mentha,” 2014). The major components of peppermint oil, which were previously reported by
Clark and Menory (1980), include menthol (29–48%), menthone (20–31%), menthofuran (6.8%)
and menthyl acetate (3–10%) representing nearly 90% of the total essential oils. These individual
constituents enter the body through two different pathways. Since these essential oil constituents
can cross the blood/brain barrier, they can exert effects on the brain/CNS by being absorbed into
the blood stream through the skin, the tissues of the respiratory system, or the gastrointestinal
tract (when taken internally). This is how conventional drugs used in the treatment of
neurological and psychiatric problem normally work. In inhaling the essential oil, the
constituents of that oil bind to and activate olfactory receptor cells in the nose. These activated
receptor cells then send signals down the olfactory nerve and those signals travel to the limbic
system and other areas of the brain that are involved in emotional response and memory as well
as endocrine and immune system responses. There are currently no conventional drugs that
utilize this pathway. The “peppermint essential oil” does not produce any effects on the body,
rather it is the menthol, menthone, and other constituents that make up the “peppermint essential
oil” that produce the effects. This fact is often overlooked by researchers who are investigating
amyloid plaques. These promising nutraceuticals offer remarkably few, if any, side effects
because of their natural configuration, and may greatly aid in the managing of brain senescence.
1. Rosmarinic Acid
Rosemary along with peppermint has a long history of ancient use for illness.
research has shown that romarinic acid protects brain cells from Abeta toxicity
(Pizzorno, n.d.).
An in vitro study done at the University of Naples, Italy, “demonstrated the
neuroprotective effect of rosmarinic acid on rat neurons exposed to the toxic effects
phosphorylation, and reactive oxygen species formation – all in which are major
factors in AD. With the conclusion of their results, the researchers determined that the
rosmarinic acid (found in peppermint) validated the use of the acid in patients
and anti-apoptotic effects against Abeta insult” (Pizzorno, n.d). The researchers
deemed that rosmarinic acid “could be a key molecule for the development of
therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease.” The acid not only prevents the toxicity of
Abeta to brain cells, but it has also been found to inhibit Abeta formation.
Niloufar, 2013-7). It has been shown that Lu effectively attenuated tau hyper
phosphorylation, down regulated the expression of APP, and lowered the secretion of
Aβ (Liu et al., 2011). In addition to this, Lu “enhanced neuronal cell survival with
neurons (Liu et. al, 2011). Lu also activated Nrf2 pathway and induced ERK1/2
2013). Menthol is known to be readily available, safe, and inexpensive to use. The
researchers reported that the menthol administered for 10 days significantly improved
spatial learning and memory. Menthol also “reversed the amnesia induced in animals
upon treatment with beta-amyloid on the 10th day” (Bhadania et al., 2012).
increased oxidative stress seen in animals not pretreated with menthol (“Powerful,”
2013). The researchers stated that a “higher dose of menthol also improves the brain
aged and beta-amyloid treated mice. Lower dose of menthol (100 mg/kg s.c.) showed
al., 2012). This experiment was done by subcutaneous injection; therefore, inhalation
was not determined. However, oral intake is still directly absorbed by the nasal
The extracts of 27 vegetables and spices and herbs (including peppermint) were
screened for their functional ability to inhibit the aggregation of islet amyloid
n.d.). This study states that peppermint “emerged as possessing the greatest anti-
Peppermint’s antispasmodic and antidiarrheal effects are topics of continued research in the
modern era. In the 1990s, researchers at the university of Cincinnati found that even a whiff of
peppermint helped test subjects perform better on tasks that required sustained concentration.
This is turn, prompted schools and teachers to participate in this phenomenon. In 2007, “The
Washington Post” reported that more and more schools were encouraging students to eat
peppermint candy to help boost test scores. The smell and flavor of peppermint could have a
significant effect on the cognitive abilities of not only these test takers, but also patients with
AD. A study published in “International Journal of Neuroscience” in 2008 found that participants
exposed to peppermint oil experienced enhanced memory and processing speeds (Mark, Moss et
al., 2005). Zoladz and Raudenbush (2005), two psychology professors, examined the effects of
scents on cognition and found a task-dependent relationship between scent and the enhancement
of cognitive processing. For example, cinnamon’s scent improved participants’ scores on tasks
related to attentional processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor
response speed. This research suggests that certain scents have the ability to increase cognitive
performance (Zoladz and Raudenbush 2005). Similarly, Moss, Hewitt, Moss, and Wesnes (2008)
examined scent-influenced cognitive performance and showed that peppermint scent enhanced
memory whereas ylang-ylang, an essential oil deriving from the cananga tree, both impaired it
and lengthened associated with processing speed (Mark, Moss, et al., 2005). The results of a
suggests that the spearmint extract might be a beneficial intervention for cognitive health. The
study’s subjects showed a significant improvement of spatial and working memory after the
implementation of spearmint extract as opposed to placebo. The supplementation was by
ingestion (Herrlinger, Kelli A., et al., 2018). Since peppermint affects the memory and cognition
of the human brain effectively in this manner, there is reason to believe it could help those with
Davis reported a connection between amyloid plaques and bacteria. The research suggested that
the brain characterized the hard-insoluble plaques known as amyloid plaques as bacteria.
“Alzheimer’s disease may be a case of mistaken identity,” said Andreas Bäumler, a professor of
microbiology and medical immunology. He continued to say: “our results suggest that it’s the
structure of these protein aggregates that matter and that, to the innate immune system,
Alzheimer’s plaques may look like colonies of bacteria. This would result in the chronic
inflammation we see in Alzheimer’s disease that damages neurons.” (UC Davis). Distinctive
chemical components of plants protect them from insects, bacteria or viruses that cause diseases.
Essential oils prepared from plants, therefore, may be effective in protecting humans from viral
infection. In addition to their intrinsic benefits to plants and as fragrances for people, essential
oils have been used throughout history in many cultures for their medicinal and therapeutic
benefits. The antibacterial activity of different extracts of peppermint against bacterial strains
was investigated in a study by Singh et al. The study found that the concentrations of the
essential oil inhibited the growth of microorganisms. They used multiple types of bacteria
aureus is the leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections, frequently found in the nose,
respiratory tract, and on the skin. Streptococcus pyogenes is clinically important in human illness
and is highly contagious. This bacterium typically grows in pairs or chains and is responsible for
hundreds of millions of illnesses each year. Escherichia coli are bacteria found in the
environment, foods, and the intestines of humans and animals. Some E. coli normally live in the
intestines of humans, also known as “normal flora” but some particular strands make people sick
and can become fatal. This indicates that peppermint, with its antibacterial properties, may be
able to positively react against the brains “bacteria” plaques and ultimately aid in the rectification
of the brain.
The main compounds of peppermint could potentially harness a short-term treatment for
Alzheimer’s and other forms of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, CTE, and
Parkinson’s disease. The menthol present in peppermint serves as an active compound which
could inhibit the growth of bacteria, in this case, the amyloid plaques. When peppermint interacts
with the hard-insoluble amyloid plaques, it can proceed to break down the sticky buildup, thus
halting the deterioration of neurons. This allows the Peppermint to ultimately translate its
beneficial effects in order to terminate the manifestation of AD. In finding a cure for AD, which
is able to break down these insoluble plaques, AD will virtually be eliminated in society. AD,
which is currently the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, could be prevented,
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