A herbaceous rhizomatous perennial plant growing to 90 cm tall. The stems are square in cross section, green or purple, and variably hairy to almost hairless. The rhizomes are wide-spreading, fleshy, and bear fibrous roots. The leaves are ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2–6 cm long and 1–4 cm broad, green (sometimes purplish), opposite, toothed, and vary from hairy to nearly hairless. The flowers are tiny, densely crowded, purple, tubular, pinkish to lilac in colour.

Anodyne, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, antitussive, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, emetic, emmenagogue, refrigerant, stimulant, stomachic, tonic and vasodilator (leaves)

Plants For A Future

Acacetin, apigenin, hesperetin, rosmarinic acid (plant); (+)- pulegone, 1,8-cineole, acetone, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, carvone, caryophyllene, formic acid, isomenthone, limonene, linalyl acetate, menthofuran, menthol, menthone, menthyl acetate, menthyl valerate, myrcene, neomenthol, piperitenone, piperitone, pulegone, tannin, viridiflorol (leaves).

A tea made from the leaves has traditionally been used in the treatment of fevers, headaches, digestive disorders and various minor ailments. It is also used as a mouth-wash and a gargle for treating sore throats, ulcers, bad breath etc. A decoction of leaves has been indicated in various conditions such as adenopathy, asthma, bites, boils, bronchosis, burn, breast cancer, gum cancer, cancers of liver, parotid and spleen, carbuncles, catarrh, condyloma, coryza, cough, diarrhea , dysmenorrhea, earache, eczema, gall stones, gas, gingivosis, hay fever, hepatosis, inflammations, itch, laryngosis, mastosis, mycosis, neuralgia, ozena, pain, parotosis, pharyngosis, phthisis, pulmonosis, ringworm, sciatica, sore throat, splenosis, stings, toothache, vaginosis etc.

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 764, CRC Press July 2002.