Pain Medicine. It Is Not Nessesary Any More
Pain is one of the key motivators that sends people to consult their physician. Once they visit their physician, it is more likely than not they will be offered a prescription for pain medicine which could be a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug or a narcotic based medication, depending on the cause of the pain and the severity of it. While these drugs control pain effectively, they often have associated side effects, such as drowsiness and upset stomach. What are the alternatives available to relieve pain naturally? It appears that a new form may be right around the corner. Researchers have found a unique form of tea derived from Hyptis crenata botanical that acts as a natural pain reliever.
Can Pain Be Relieved by Tea?
The Brazilian mint plant is another name for the Hyptis crenata plant. It is generally utilized in the form of a mint tea in Brazil to treat muscle aches, fever, and a wide variety of other pain related ailments. You boil the dried leaves of the Brazilian mint plant (Hyptis crenata) for approximately a half an hour and then strain the tea. It is best to cool it prior to drinking it. It is too bad that the tea doesn’t have the distinctive mint flavor most Americans associate with mint tea, but the drink is widely used in Brazil due to its medicinal values.
How Successfully Does Brazilian Mint Tea Alleviate Pain?
Data introduced at the second International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants indicates that this tea may reduce pain. Oral extracts of Hyptis crenata were given to mice in order to test its effectiveness. Based on the resulting data, it was determined that the substance was every bit as potent as traditional medications for reducing pain. Actually, it compared favorably with the effectiveness of Indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory that’s usually prescribed for treating the pain associated with gout. Unfortunately, Indomethacin has associated negative side effects (some of which can be serious), while Brazilian mint tea seems tolerated by everyone.
Brazilian Mint Tea as Pain Reliever: The Real Scoop?
Testing in human subjects is planned to find whether Brazilian mint tea’s safety and pain relief success rate compares to that found in the mice studies. Researchers also want to get a better understanding of what active ingredients in the Hyptis crenata plant are the ones that actually ease the pain.
It may be difficult to find Brazilian mint tea in the U.S. as it isn’t widely available here, and it would be jumping the gun to adopt it for pain relief until human trials demonstrate that it’s totally safe. Based on its effectiveness in Brazilian application, there appears to be promise for this organic pain relief product.