Menthol: Properties, Uses, and Chemical Composition

Menthol, an organic compound derived from the peppermint plant, is used in many consumer products such as cigarettes and mouthwash. Menthol produces a cooling or soothing sensation on the skin or in the lungs and throat.

Chemical Composition

• Menthol, a covalent organic compound, is formally known in the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry as (1R,2S,5R)-2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexanol. Menthol is a white crystalline substance which melts at slightly above room temperature.

Uses

• A calcium channel blocker and a counter-irritant local anesthetic, menthol produces a cooling sensation by chemically triggering cold receptors in the skin. Mentholated products can be used to treat sore throats, coughs and congestion.

Forms

• Menthol is found in a variety of products including lozenges, ointments, gels, creams, drops, powders, sprays, liquids, patches or globules.

Cigarettes

• Menthol is believed to have a numbing effect on the throat, allowing cigarette smokers to take deeper and longer drags. Menthol cigarettes may contain up to 300% more cancer-causing agents compared with non-menthol cigarettes with the same nicotine content.

Toxicity and Warnings

• Aside from the increased exposure to cancer-causing agents, menthol can be toxic in large doses, although no complications have ever been reported.