The name peppermint comes from the Latin piper, meaning "pepper," and Minthē, the name of a nymph in Greek or Roman mythology who was metamorphosed into a plant. Records from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome show that other members of the family, especially spearmint, have been used medicinally for centuries. Peppermint has been used traditionally for gastrointestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion and nausea, as well as colds, headache and cramps.

American medicine: In southern Appalachian folk medicine, peppermint teas were used as a carminative and to treat dyspepsia. An herbalist by the name of Clarence Gray (1917-1991) hypothesized that herbs could cure all diseases, including cancer; this had an influence throughout the southern Appalachian region. Peppermint is purportedly used in African-American traditional medicine as an ingredient in hot drinks to treat colds and congestion. The progenitors of naturopathic physicians (i.e., "eclectic physicians") used peppermint for coughs, headache, gastrointestinal disorders and bronchitis, as an adjuvant to laxatives and an antispasmodic, and for flavoring.

Mohammedan medicine: According to American herbalist Dr. James A. Duke, peppermint, bitter almond, vinegar and starch were all combined to make a plaster for coughs.

Ayurveda: Peppermint has many uses in Ayurvedic medicine, including the treatment of fainting, sunburn, sore throat, the common cold and flu, headaches and hay fever. Peppermint is purportedly recommended for pitta constitutions and is said to clear the mind and promote emotional harmony. It is a purported stimulant, diaphoretic, analgesic (for conditions such as toothache) and carminative.

Chinese medicine: In traditional Chinese medicine, peppermint is believed to rise to the head and exert a pungent, cooling effect, and it is used for the treatment of colds and cold-associated headaches. It is prepared as a boiled broth, which is then consumed hot or warm. Peppermint dabbed on the temples or under the nose or consumed in tea, is also used for headaches. Peppermint is used as an herb to treat respiratory disorders.

European medicine: In Europe, peppermint was first included in the London Pharmacopoeia in 1721 and since then has been used in England for medicinal purposes. The British Pharmacopoeia lists two preparations of peppermint, Peppermint Water and Spirit of Peppermint. According to the German Commission E monographs, peppermint oil (as well as peppermint leaf) has been used internally as an antispasmodic (upper gastrointestinal tract and bile ducts) and for irritable bowel syndrome, catarrh of the respiratory tract and inflammation of the oral mucosa. Externally, peppermint oil has been used for myalgia and neuralgia. Peppermint oil may act as an antispasmodic, carminative, cholagogue, antibacterial and secretolytic, and it has a cooling action.

Modern (Western) herbal medicine: Contemporary herbalists use peppermint externally for pruritus and inflammation, and internally as a sleep aid and for colds, coughs, flu, headache, gastrointestinal disorders, fever, menstrual cramps, motion sickness and nausea gravidarum.