ABSTRACT
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China is one of the largest mint producers in the world. Historical records show that cornmint
was first used as a traditional medicine to treat febrile diseases and heat stroke during the Song
Dynasty (960 to 1279) (Zhao, 1991). Mint has been cultivated in China for a long time although
it is difficult to trace the exact date when cornmint was first grown. However, it was reported
that mint cultivation could be traced back to as early as the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) in
China (Dai, 1981). Since cornmint possesses aromatic cooling and germicidal properties and
has been used to dispel rheumatic pains, it was mainly used as a Chinese herbal drug and as a
component of mint tea, a refreshment used in the summer in ancient China.
