Menthol studies

Among the various applications of Menthol, perhaps the best known is that of the introduction of this component in cigarettes.
The national data U.S: A. from 2004 to 2010 showed that, despite the decline in the consumption of non-menthol cigarettes, the consumption of menthol cigarettes remained constant in adolescents (age up to 17 years) and in adults (aged over 25) and increasing in young adults (age 18-25) (1).

Menthol is a penetration enhancer widely used in clinical medicine due to its high efficiency and relative safety (2).

Although the kinetics of microbial inactivation depends on the type of microorganism, Menthol, which is used more often than other phenolic monoterpenic components, has antibacterial characteristics, but lower than Hinokitiol, Thymol, Carvacrol (3). respectively.

References_________________________________________________________________________

(1) Villanti AC, Mowery PD, Delnevo CD, Niaura RS, Abrams DB, Giovino GA. Changes in the prevalence and correlates of menthol cigarette use in the USA, 2004-2014. Tob Control. 2016 Nov;25(Suppl 2):ii14-ii20. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053329. 

Abstract. Introduction: National data from 2004 to 2010 showed that despite decreases in non-menthol cigarette use prevalence, menthol cigarette use prevalence remained constant in adolescents and adults and increased in young adults. The purpose of the current study was to extend these analyses through 2014. Results: Although overall smoking prevalence has decreased, the proportion of past 30-day cigarette smokers using menthol cigarettes was higher (39%) in 2012-2014 compared to 2008-2010 (35%). Youth smokers remain the most likely group to use menthol cigarettes compared to all other age groups. Menthol cigarette prevalence has increased in white, Asian and Hispanic smokers since 2010. Menthol cigarette prevalence exceeded non-menthol cigarette prevalence in youth and young adult smokers in 2014. Among smokers, menthol cigarette use was positively correlated with co-use of cigars. Menthol cigarette and smokeless tobacco co-use also increased from 2004 to 2014. Conclusions: The youngest smokers are most likely to use menthol cigarettes. Among smokers, increases in overall menthol cigarette use and menthol cigarette use in whites, Asians and Hispanics since 2010 are of concern. There is tremendous urgency to limit the impact of menthol cigarettes on public health, particularly the health of youth and young adults.

(2) Yang S, Wang R, Wan G, Wu Z, Guo S, Dai X, Shi X, Qiao Y. A Multiscale Study on the Penetration Enhancement Mechanism of Menthol to Osthole. J Chem Inf Model. 2016 Nov 28;56(11):2234-2242. doi: 10.1021/acs.jcim.6b00232. 

Abstract. Menthol is a widely used penetration enhancer in clinical medicine due to its high efficiency and relative safety. However, details of the penetration enhancement mechanism of menthol on the molecular level is rarely involved in the discussion. In this work, the penetration enhancement (PE) mechanism of menthol is explored by a multiscale method containing molecular dynamics simulations, in vitro penetration experiments, and transmission electron microscopy. Osthole is chosen to be the tested drug due to its common use in external preparations and because it often accompanies menthol as a PE in the preparations. The results show that menthol in each testing concentration can impair the lipid packing of stratum corneum (SC) and promote osthole permeating into SC, and the penetration promoting effect has an optimal concentration. At a low concentration, menthol causes the bilayer to relax with a reduction in thickness and increment in the lipid headgroup area. At a high concentration, menthol destroys the bilayer structure of SC and causes lipids to form a reversed micelle structure. The penetration enhancement mechanism of menthol is characterized mainly by the disruption of the highly ordered SC lipid in low concentrations and an improvement in the partitioning of drugs into the SC in high concentrations. The results can provide some assistance for additional studies and applications of menthol as a penetration enhancer.