Mint can help fight cancer: study

Scientists at CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP​) Lucknow​ have identified that a compound called 'L-Menthol' derived from Mentha plant, popularly known as mint, can also be used in anti-cancer drugs.​ ​S​enior principal scientist Ajit Kumar Shasany​ said, they have proved scientifically that L-Menthol can kill the colon cancer cell line without affecting the normal cell line​. Shasany was the head of the eight-member team which carried out the study, published recently in international journal, 'OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology'.​ CIMAP scientists, in their research, found that



Mentha compound inhibits the division of cancer cell and prevent its growth and spread to other organs of the body.

The research also claims that production of L-menthol is cost-effective, non-destructive and easily available in comparison to anti-cancer compound used at present, derived from the bark of European Yew tree. While Mentha is available in abundance across the world, the European Yew tree is found only in Europe and some parts of Africa and Asia.​ ​Menthol can be derived easily without damaging the plant, whereas the European Yew tree has to be cut down for using bark for deriving anti-cancer compound.