Abstract
This study aimed to assess the acute effects of Peppermint and Chamomile herbal teas on cognitive performance and mood in healthy young adults. A single factor independent groups design was employed. One hundred and eighty undergraduate students volunteered to take part in the study for which they received course credit. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: Peppermint tea, Chamomile tea or hot water (Control). Mood scales were completed and participants then consumed their drink over a ten minute period and rested for twenty minutes. Cognitive performance was assessed using a tailored version of The Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) computerised assessment system. Post testing mood scales were then completed. Data were analysed using independent groups ANOVAs followed by Tukey post hoc comparisons. The analysis revealed that Peppermint tea significantly improved long term memory and speed of memory compared to both Chamomile and control treatments. Chamomile tea significantly slowed speed of attention and impaired working memory compared to the Peppermint treatment. Peppermint tea significantly increased subjective alertness compared to the Chamomile and control conditions. Chamomile significantly increased subjective calmness compared to the Peppermint treatment. The data show that acute consumption of Peppermint and Chamomile teas can impact on cognition and mood in healthy adults in contrasting directions. The enhancing and arousing effects of Peppermint and calming/sedative effects of Chamomile observed are in keeping with the purported properties of these herbs and suggest beneficial effects can be drawn from their use.
Highlights
Herbal based preparations have been used in promotion of health and the treatment of disease for as long as written records exist (Vickers and Zollman, 1999) and their popularity continues unabated by the development of modern pharmaceutical science and medicine (Bent and Ko, 2004)
The current study aimed to extend our knowledge regarding herbal infusions by assessing the potential for acute ingestion of Peppermint and Chamomile teas to affect cognition and mood in healthy young adults
Tukey post hoc comparisons revealed that the Peppermint condition produced significantly faster responses than both the Chamomile condition and the control condition, p < 0.05 in each case
Summary
Herbal based preparations have been used in promotion of health and the treatment of disease for as long as written records exist (Vickers and Zollman, 1999) and their popularity continues unabated by the development of modern pharmaceutical science and medicine (Bent and Ko, 2004). Peppermint has a Horizon e-Publishing Group long standing reputation as a therapeutic intervention for irritable bowel syndrome, nausea and tuberculosis and recent research offers some support to the received wisdom of ages. A systematic review concluded that peppermint treatment offered significant benefit compared to placebo for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (Ford et al, 2008) with effect sizes comparable to conventional treatments. The essential oil of Peppermint includes a number of potentially active volatile compounds including menthol which has been identified as exerting its antiemetic effect via the serotonin receptor ion-channel complex (Heimes et al., 2011). Peppermint increases ambulatory activity in animal models, indicating the ability to be arousing; an effect potentially mediated by dopamine pathways (Umezu and Morita, 2003)
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