ReviewAlimentary pharmacology & therapeutics2018
Review article: the physiological effects and safety of peppermint oil and its efficacy in irritable bowel syndrome and other functional disorders.
Review in Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 67 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Peppermint Oil as an Alternative Treatment for Children With Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction: A Prospective Study
Comparative Effect of Trimebutine and Probiotics on Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders (FAPD) in Children: Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT)
Who cites it
67 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 171 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Plant-Based Therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2026Pooled it
- Geraniol Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.Nutrients · 2022Trial
- Randomised trial: Peppermint oil (menthol) pharmacokinetics in children and effects on gut motility in children with functional abdominal pain.British journal of clinical pharmacology · 2022Trial
- Oral IBGard™ Before Colonoscopy: A Single-Center Double-Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Digestive diseases and sciences · 2021Trial
- Randomised clinical trial: pregabalin vs placebo for irritable bowel syndrome.Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics · 2019Trial
- Review
- Patterns in integrative medicine usage among pediatric patients in a disorders of gut-brain interaction clinic.Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition · 2026Article
- The effect of aromatherapy on postoperative nausea and vomiting: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2026Article
- Diagnosis and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea: Key clinical considerations.Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners · 2026Article
- Preclinical Studies on Plant Based-Antacid Formulations as New Therapies for Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Plant-Derived Treatments for IBS: Clinical Outcomes, Mechanistic Insights, and Their Position in International Guidelines.Nutrients · 2026Review
- An Approach to Drug Discovery via Ethnopharmacology and Sustainable Agriculture.Current drug discovery technologies · 2026Review
- Peppermint oil in menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms: a research progress review.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Review
- Functional dyspepsia redefined: evidence supporting inflammatory dyspepsia - a systematic review.Gastroenterology and hepatology from bed to bench · 2026Review
- Expert Opinion on the Efficacy and Safety of Antispasmodics with a Focus on Irritable Bowel Syndrome.The Turkish journal of gastroenterology : the official journal of Turkish Society of Gastroenterology · 2025Review
- Targeting Irritable Bowel Syndrome Through Diet and Mechanism-Based Therapies: A Pathophysiological Approach.Nutrients · 2025Review
- Natural Remedies for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review of Herbal-Based Therapies.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Menthol and Its Derivatives: Exploring the Medical Application Potential.Engineering in life sciences · 2025Review
- Natural Products for the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2025Article
- A Cross-Sectional Study on Gastric Diseases and FGIDs in Bangladesh: Insights Into Causes, Symptoms, and Medications.Health science reports · 2025Article
7 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPeppermint oil has been used for centuries as a treatment for gastrointestinal ailments. It has been shown to have several effects on gastrointestinal physiology relevant to clinical care and management.
aimTo review the literature on peppermint oil regarding its metabolism, effects on gastrointestinal physiology, clinical use and efficacy, and safety.
methodsWe performed a PubMed literature search using the following terms individually or in combination: peppermint, peppermint oil, pharmacokinetics, menthol, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, gallbladder, colon, transit, dyspepsia, nausea, abdominal pain, and irritable bowel syndrome. Full manuscripts evaluating peppermint oil that were published through 15 July 2017 were reviewed. When evaluating therapeutic indications, only randomised clinical trials were included. References from selected manuscripts were used if relevant.
resultsIt appears that peppermint oil may have several mechanisms of action including: smooth muscle relaxation (via calcium channel blockade or direct enteric nervous system effects); visceral sensitivity modulation (via transient receptor potential cation channels); anti-microbial effects; anti-inflammatory activity; modulation of psychosocial distress. Peppermint oil has been found to affect oesophageal, gastric, small bowel, gall-bladder, and colonic physiology. It has been used to facilitate completion of colonoscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Placebo controlled studies support its use in irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, childhood functional abdominal pain, and post-operative nausea. Few adverse effects have been reported in peppermint oil trials.
conclusionPeppermint oil is a natural product which affects physiology throughout the gastrointestinal tract, has been used successfully for several clinical disorders, and appears to have a good safety profile.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.