methyl salicylate
Noun: A colorless to pale yellow or pinkish liquid organic compound with a characteristic, strong wintergreen odor. It is the methyl ester of salicylic acid, chemically synthesized or derived from certain plants. It is used topically as a counterirritant and analgesic in liniments and ointments for the temporary relief of minor muscle and joint aches and pains.
Methyl salicylate is primarily used in medicinal and flavoring contexts. - Medicinal Use: Applied externally to the skin in products like creams, gels, and patches. It produces a warming or cooling sensation that helps distract from underlying pain (an effect known as counterirritation). - Flavoring/Fragrance Use: Used as a flavoring agent in foods, candies, and oral care products (like toothpaste) and as a fragrance in perfumes and cosmetics due to its wintergreen scent.
- Medicinal Context:
- The athlete applied a cream containing methyl salicylate to her sore knee before the race.
- Overuse of topical products with methyl salicylate can lead to skin irritation.
- Industrial/Other Context:
- The distinct smell of some muscle rubs comes from methyl salicylate.
- Methyl salicylate is sometimes used in small quantities as a flavoring agent in chewing gum.
- Toxicology Note: Methyl salicylate is also known as "oil of wintergreen" in concentrated form. It is highly toxic if ingested in significant quantities, as it is rapidly converted to salicylic acid in the body, which can lead to salicylate poisoning (similar to aspirin overdose).
- Emergency rooms are alert to cases of methyl salicylate poisoning, especially in children who mistake it for candy.
- Oil of wintergreen: A common name for methyl salicylate, especially when derived from the wintergreen plant () or sweet birch tree ().
- Salicylic acid: The parent acid from which methyl salicylate is derived. Salicylic acid is used in acne treatments and for skin peeling.
- Counterirritant: A substance, like methyl salicylate, that causes superficial irritation to relieve deeper pain or inflammation.
- Oil of wintergreen (when referring to the natural or synthetic product with the same chemical composition).
- Wintergreen oil (common informal term).
- Safety Warning: Methyl salicylate is for external use only. It should not be ingested or applied to broken skin. It should be kept out of reach of children.
- Drug Interaction: It can interact with blood-thinning medications like warfarin, increasing the risk of bleeding.
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a liquid ester with a strong odor of wintergreen; applied externally for minor muscle and joint pain
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