Editing Spearmint (section)

==Oil uses==
Spearmint is used for its aromatic oil, called oil of spearmint. The most abundant compound in spearmint oil is [[carvone|''R''-(–)-carvone]], which gives spearmint its distinctive smell. Spearmint oil also contains significant amounts of [[limonene]], dihydrocarvone, and [[Cineol|1,8-cineol]].<ref name="Hussain, et al">{{cite journal |doi=10.1002/jsfa.4021 |title=Seasonal variation in content, chemical composition and antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of essential oils from four ''Mentha'' species |year=2010 |last1=Hussain |first1=Abdullah I. |last2=Anwar |first2=Farooq |last3=Nigam |first3=Poonam S. |last4=Ashraf |first4=Muhammad |last5=Gilani |first5=Anwarul H. |journal=Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture |pmid=20602517 |pages=1827–1836 |volume=90 |issue=11 |bibcode=2010JSFA...90.1827H |s2cid=22702699 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Unlike oil of [[peppermint]], oil of spearmint contains minimal amounts of [[menthol]] and [[menthone]]. It is used as a flavouring for [[toothpaste]] and [[confectionery]], and is sometimes added to shampoos and soaps.

=== Traditional medicine ===
Spearmint has been used in [[traditional medicine]].<ref name=":1" />

=== Insecticide and pesticide ===
Spearmint essential oil has had success as a [[larvicide]] against [[mosquito]]es. Using spearmint as a larvicide would be a greener alternative to synthetic insecticides due to their toxicity and negative effect to the environment.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Yogalakshmi|first1=K.|last2=Rajeswari|first2=M.|last3=Sivakumar|first3=R.|last4=Govindarajan|first4=M.|date=2012-05-01|title=Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oil from ''Mentha spicata'' (Linn.) against three mosquito species|journal=Parasitology Research|language=en|volume=110|issue=5|pages=2023–2032|doi=10.1007/s00436-011-2731-7|pmid=22139403|s2cid=12022813|issn=1432-1955}}</ref>

Used as a [[fumigant]], spearmint essential oil is an effective [[insecticide]] against adult [[moth]]s.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Eliopoulos |first1=P. A. |last2=Hassiotis |first2=C. N. |last3=Andreadis |first3=S. S. |last4=Porichi |first4=A. E. |year=2015|title=Fumigant toxicity of essential oils from basil and spearmint against two major Pyralid pests of stored products|journal=Journal of Economic Entomology|volume=108|issue=2|pages=805–810|doi=10.1093/jee/tov029|pmid=26470193|s2cid=36828154 |doi-access=free }}</ref>