For acute joint and muscular pain, methyl salicylate is used as a rubefacient and analgesic in deep heating liniments. It is used as a flavoring agent in chewing gums and mints in small concentrations and added as antiseptic in mouthwash solutions.
Methyl salicylate is an organic ester responsible for the minty smell of wintergreen. This procedure will use starting materials that can be found at a supermarket including aspirin, antifreeze, and drain cleaner.
Salicylates are generally absorbed quickly through the gastrointestinal tract. The elimination half-life is generally between 3 and 12 hours at therapeutic doses, but this can increase unpredictably up to 30 hours in the setting of an overdose.
Methyl salicylate is an external analgesic available in over-the-counter (OTC) medicines that temporarily relieve minor body aches and muscle and joint pain associated with backache, arthritis, strains, sprains, and bruises.
