Minthostachys mollis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Lamiaceae |
Genus: | Minthostachys |
Species: | M. mollis |
Binomial name | |
Minthostachys mollis (Kunth) Griseb. |
Minthostachys mollis (muña) is a medicinal plant restricted to the South American Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia. It is the most variable and widely distributed species of the genus Minthostachys. It is also known by the names of tipo, tipollo, or poleo.
In the indigenous medicine traditions of the Andes, the plant is made into tea and used medicinally as a carminative and aphrodisiac.
Its common name "muña" comes from Quechua.
The principal components of essential oil are as follows:
In the flowering tops 19 compounds were identified in the essential oil, predominantly 29% neomenthol, 24% menthone, 20% menthol, and 8% piperitone.