Menthol
Menthol Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.
A bicyclic monoterpene ketone found widely in plants, especially cinnamomum camphora. It is used topically as a skin antipruritic and as an anti-infective agent.
Methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen or wintergreen oil) is an organic ester naturally produced by many species of plants, particularly wintergreens. The compound was first extracted and isolated from plant species Gaultheria procumbens in 1843. It can be manufactured synthetically and it used as a fragrance, in foods, beverages, and liniments. It forms a colorless to yellow or reddish liquid and exhibits a characteristic odor and taste of wintergreen. For acute joint and muscular pain, methyl salicylate is used as a rubefacient and analgesic in deep heating liniments. It is used as a flavoring agent in chewing gums and mints in small concentrations and added as antiseptic in mouthwash solutions.
Methyl salicylate relieve musculoskeletal pain in the muscles, joints, and tendons by causing irritation and reddening of the skin due to dilated capillaries and increased blood flow. It is pharmacologically similar to aspirin and other NSAIDs but as a topical agent it primarily acts as a rubefacient and skin irritant. Counter-irritation is believed to cause a soothing sensation of warmth.
| Trade Name | Menthol |
| Generic | Camphor + Menthol + Methyl Salicylate |
| Weight | 3% + 5% + 15%, 4% + 10% + 30%, 3.1% + 6% + 10%, 3.1% + 16% + 10%, , 1mg, 1.7mg, 2mg, 2.5mg, 3.3mg, 7.6mg, 8mg, 0.025% + 2.5% + 10% + 25%, 0.0325% + 4% + 10% + 27.5%, 0.0375% + 4% + 10% + 20% |
| Type | Topical Cream, Topical Film, Topical Gel, Topical, Topical Foam, Topical Liquid, Topical Pad, Topical Powder, Topical Spray, Topical Stick, Mucous Membrane Lozenge, Oral Mucous Membrane, Topical Lotion, Topical Ointment |
| Therapeutic Class | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Available Country | United States |
| Last Updated: | September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am |
Uses
Camphor is a compound used topically to help relieve pain and also as a topical antiseptic. May also be used in vaporizers to help suppress coughing. This medication should not be swallowed.
Methyl salicylate is a topical counter-irritant used for the symptomatic relief of acute musculoskeletal pain in the muscles, joints, and tendons.
Ointments or liniments containing methyl salicylate are applied topically as counter irritant for relief of acute pain associated with lumbago,sciatica and rheumatic conditions. Local analgesics for human and veterinary medicine.
Menthol is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Arthritis, Backache, Common Cold, Contusions, Inflammatory Reaction caused by Insect Bites, Joint Pain, Muscle Cramps, Nasal Congestion, Pain caused by Insect Bites, Rash, Skin Irritation, Soreness, Muscle, Sunburn, Swelling caused by Insect Bites, Minor burns, Neck or back pain, Shoulder acheAcute Muscle Pain, Arthritis, Back Pain Lower Back, Backache, Contusions, Joint Pain, Ligament pain, Muscle Inflammation, Muscle Injuries, Muscle Strain, Muscle swelling, Pain, Pain of the Bone and Bones, Pain, Nerve, Partial-Onset Seizures, Postherpetic Neuralgia, Soreness, Muscle, Sprains, Tendon pain, Minor aches, Muscle, joint pains
How Menthol works
Counter-irritation is thought to be effective at alleviating musculoskeletal pain as the irritation of the sensory nerve endings is thought to alter or offset pain in the underlying muscle or joints that are served by the same nerves . This is thought to mask the underlying musculoskeletal pain and discomfort. When applied topically, methyl salicylate is thought to penetrate the skin and underlying tissues where it reversibly inhibits cyclooxygenase enzyme and locally and peripherally prevents the production of inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandin and thromboxane A2.
Toxicity
Oral LD50 values (mg/kg) for mouse, rat and rabbit are 1110, 887 and 1300, respectively. Oral LD50 values for child and adult human (mg/kg) are 228 and 506, respectively. Although systemic toxicity from topical administration is rare, methyl salicylate can be absorbed in intract skin to cause stimulation of the central nervous system respiratory center, disturbance of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and disturbance of intracellular respiration. Severe toxicity can result in acute lung injury, lethargy, coma, seizures, cerebral edema, and death. In case of salicylate poisoning, the treatment consists of general supportive care, gastrointestinal decontamination with activated charcoal in cases of salicylate ingestion, and monitoring of serum salicylate concentrations. Bicarbonate infusions or hemodialysis can be used to achieve enhanced salicylate elimination .
Volume of Distribution
After absorption, methyl salicylate is distributed throughout most body tissues and most transcellular fluids, primarily by pH dependent passive processes. Salicylate is actively transported by a low-capacity, saturable system out of the CSF across the choroid plexus. The drug readily crosses the placental barrier.
Elimination Route
Approximately 12-20% of topically applied methyl salicylate may be systemically absorbed through intact skin within 10 hours of application, and absorption varies with different conditions such as surface area and pH. Dermal bioavailability is in the range of 11.8 – 30.7%. For the assessment of potential oral exposure to salicylates, bioavailability is assumed to be 100% .
Half Life
The plasma half-life for salicylate is 2 to 3 hr in low doses and about 12 hr at usual anti-inflammatory doses. The half-life of salicylate may be as long as 15 to 30 hr at high therapeutic doses or when there is intoxication.
Elimination Route
Excreted by kidneys as free salicylic acid (10%), salicyluric acid (75%), salicylic phenolic (10%) and acyl glucuronide (5%), and gentisic acid (less than 1%).
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