@article {2422, title = {Exploring the Calming Potential of Peppermint: Anxiolytic Effects of Mentha piperita Essential Oil on State and Trait Anxiety}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Journal}, volume = {16}, year = {2024}, month = {January 2025}, pages = {1290-1296}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {1290}, abstract = {

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic effect of Mentha piperita essential oil on state and trait anxiety. Methods: The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation, and its chemical composition was analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 93 participants were divided into a control group (CG) and an experimental group (EG), with 47 participants in the EG receiving MPEO aromatherapy and 46 in the CG. Anxiety levels were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at pretest and posttest phases. Results: GC-MS analysis showed that menthol had the highest concentration (42.56\%), followed by menthone (19.24\%) and linalool (11.68\%). Mixed model analysis revealed that group assignment (EG vs. CG) was a significant predictor of posttest state anxiety (F=16.508, p=0.001) and trait anxiety (F=9.091, p=0.003), independent of pretest scores, supporting the intervention{\textquoteright}s effect on reducing anxiety. Posttest results showed a significant reduction in state anxiety in the EG compared to the CG (p=0.001) with a large effect size (r=0.508), while trait anxiety showed a moderate reduction (p=0.001, r=0.342). Conclusion: These findings suggest that Mentha piperita essential oil may effectively reduce state and trait anxiety, with a more pronounced impact on state anxiety.

}, keywords = {Anxiety, Essential oil, Mentha piperita, State anxiety, Trait anxiety}, doi = {10.5530/pj.2024.16.208}, author = {Paul Alan Arkin Alvarado-Garc{\'\i}a and Maril{\'u} Roxana Soto-V{\'a}squez and Taniht Lisseth Cubas Romero and Santiago M. Benites and Anthony Derlis Auris-L{\'o}pez and Gerardo Manuel Del Pino-Aliaga} }