Menthol is a compound found in mint and other plants, commonly produced synthetically. It produces a cool sensation and acts as a mild anesthetic, used in cough and cold remedies, candy, gum, medical products, and cigarettes. It can act as a counter-irritant and increase drug penetration. Menthol is used to treat skin irritation, sore throat, nasal congestion, sunburn, fever, and body aches. It is added to cigarettes to enhance flavor and freshness, but it may increase addiction and toxic absorption. It is also used as a natural pesticide.
Menthol is an organic compound with the chemical formula C10H20O that occurs naturally in mint and some other plants. It can be extracted from the leaves by distillation, but is more commonly produced synthetically. Pure menthol is a crystalline solid, but is often used in the form of peppermint oil. It produces a cool sensation in the mouth or when applied to the skin and can act as a mild anesthetic. The compound is used extensively in cough and cold remedies for its soothing effects and as a flavoring in candy, chewing gum, medical products, and cigarettes.
Production
Mint plants synthesize this compound in their leaves, perhaps as a natural insecticide or to deter predators, many of which seem to dislike the smell. The compound was isolated from peppermint oil in 1771 in Europe, but may have been used in Japan much earlier. Industrially, it can be obtained from mint leaves by steam distillation, but most menthol is now produced synthetically in a complex but cheaper process. Amateur essential oil aficionados can extract impure peppermint oil from the leaves of the plant using grain alcohol or vodka, separating the oil by freezing, but further processing would be required to isolate the pure compound.
Properties and effects
Although menthol is a solid at room temperature, it can be dissolved with hot water and easily produces a strong-smelling vapor. It is only slightly soluble in water, but dissolves easily in many organic solvents, including alcohol. Although it is of very low toxicity, it has a number of noticeable effects on the body, resulting in a variety of therapeutic uses.
Menthol stimulates the body’s cold receptors, producing a cool sensation when inhaled or applied to the skin. As with the chemical capsaicin found in chili peppers, which stimulates heat receptors, the compound doesn’t actually change skin temperature, it simply produces a cold sensation. Menthol’s anesthetic properties are thought to be due to its binding to kappa opioid receptors. These are cells found in the brain, spinal cord, and neurons; among other things, they help control the perception of pain.
Another important property of this compound is that it can act as a counter-irritant, i.e. a substance that causes mild irritation or inflammation in one spot while diverting attention away from the pain in another. It also increases the penetration of drugs applied to the skin. Menthol suppresses the urge to cough and creates a feeling of more openness in the nasal passages in people suffering from nasal congestion, although it does not appear to have an effective decongestant effect.
it is used
The cooling sensation produced by this compound, along with its anesthetic and counter-irritant properties, has led to its use in products intended to relieve skin irritation, sore throat, or nasal congestion. It can also be used to treat sunburn, fever or body aches. Most products used to relieve these conditions contain only small amounts of the compound. Pure crystals, however, can be used with hot water to relieve cold symptoms through the release of steam. It should be used with caution, as inhaling too much can cause pain in the nasal passages.
In traditional Asian medicine, menthol is sometimes prescribed to treat nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, headaches, colds, or sore throats. When used as a supplement for health reasons, it is usually taken in the form of peppermint oil. Products that commonly contain it include toothpaste, cough drops, lip balm, mouthwash, and chewing gum.
Menthol is sometimes added to cigarettes to enhance the flavor and give a fresh sensation. There is evidence that people who smoke these cigarettes are more likely to suffer from serious health problems, although this is generally not thought to be due to any direct effect of the chemical. It has been argued that the flavor can make cigarettes more palatable to young people. A 2012 study suggested that young people who smoke menthol cigarettes are 80% more likely to become addicted. It’s also possible that people who smoke these cigarettes may inhale more deeply and hold the smoke in their lungs longer, increasing the amounts of toxic and carcinogenic compounds that are absorbed.
A relatively recent use of the compound is as a natural pesticide. It is an active ingredient in some products used to control mite infestations on bees. Used in the right concentration, it is effective in killing mites, but is not harmful to bees. As of 2013, given the level of interest in the use of natural products in pest control, this compound may find additional similar uses.
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