Antipruritics Menthol

Emollients hydrate the skin and soothe and smooth dry scaly conditions. They need to be applied frequently as their effects are short-lived. There is a variety of preparations but aqueous cream in addition to its use as a vehicle (above) is effective when used as a soap substitute. Various other ingredients may be added to emoUients, e.g. menthol, camphor or phenol for its mild antipruritic effect and zinc and titanium dioxide as astringents. 

A cooling application such as 0.5-2% menthol in aqueous cream is antipruritic, probably by weak local anaesthetic action. 

Physical form Menthol has characteristic odour and aromatic taste. Biological activity Antipruritic and antiseptic. 

MENTHOL Menthol is the active ingredient in Menthaepiperitaefolium (see AOl) and a 1-2% alcoholic solution has an antipruritic effect. 

Menthol has mildly anesthetic, antipruritic, antiseptic, carminative, cooling and gastric sedative actions , and is applied as an antipruritic and in nasal inhalers. It smells and tastes sweetish-minty, is fresh and strongly cooling, in contrast to the... 

Monoterpenoids (derived from geranyl diphosphate, GPP) are a subgroup of terpenoids consisting of two isoprene units (IOC). Monoterpenoids may be acyclic or contain rings in their structures. Monoterpenoids usually exist as an oily liquid with distinctive aromas and flavors, such as essential oils, turpentine, and oleoresins of coniferous plants. Important examples of this class include menthol used as topical pain reliever, bomeol as disinfectant or deodorant, and camphor as counterirritant, anesthetic, expectorant, antipruritic, etc. 

Menthol has been used for centuries as a local anaesthetic, a topical analgesic, an antipruritic agent, a gastric sedative agent, and is also widely used as an over-the-counter (OTQ decongestant cold medication [1]. It is a weak inhibitor of inflammation and the associated increased sensitivity to pain (hyperalgesia), and is... 

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