Methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen) is a chemical that smells like wintergreen. It is used in many over-the-counter products, including muscle ache creams. It is related to aspirin.
What is Methyl Salicylate?
Methyl salicylate sometimes called wintergreen oil which is a sweet smelling member of the aspirin family is one of the most widely used as counterirritant. Methyl salicylate is the ester of salicylic acid in which the acidic carboxylate moiety is methylated but the phenolic hydroxyl is unchanged.
Methyl salicylate is very similar in structure to salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is found in copious amounts in the bark of willow bark that could ease aches and reduce fever
Uses of Methyl Salicylate – C8H8O3
- Very low concentration is used as a flavouring agent in candy, chewing gum, cough drops and toothpaste.
- Used in aromatherapy as oil of wintergreen.
- Used in cosmetics as a warming agent and in sport massage products as a rubefacient.
- Used as an anti-inflammatory incorporated into liniments and ointments for joint and muscle pains.
Effects on Health
Methyl salicylate like other salicylates interferes with vitamin-k metabolism thereby decreasing blood clotting ability. For allergic individuals the risk of an adverse reaction is not dose related even a very small amount of topically applied salicylate can generate an allergic response.
DESCRIPTION
General description
Methyl salicylate (MeSA) is a natural herbivore-induced plant volatile[1] It is a naturally occurring product in trees, legumes, exotic plants, vegetables, berries, and the primary constituent of the oil of wintergreen.[2][3] MeSA is produced from salicylic acid.[4]
Application
Methyl salicylate has been used:
as a component of clarifying solution for treating Mongolian gerbil cochlea intact for immunofluorescence analysis[5]
as a plant elicitor to test its effect on reducing the whitefly population from tomato plants[6]
in the hyalinization of tissues for pulmonary angiography[7]
in clearing tissues[8][9][10]
