Menthol

Menthol (C₁₀H₂₀O) is a terpenoid compound. It is extracted from the plants belonging to Mentha genus in the Lamiaceae family.

Menthol is a cyclic monoterpene alcohol, which is extracted from essential oils of Mentha canadensis and Mentha x piperita. It possesses antimicrobial, anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Menthol acts as a transient receptor potential cation channel (TRPM8) agonist. It also exhibits analgesic, antipruritic, anesthetic and cooling effects.

Menthol has been used:

• to test its antifungal susceptibility
• to determine its efficacy as an anesthetic in fish
• to activate transient receptor potential cation channel (TRPM8)
• as an odorant for measuring sniffing dynamics

Menthol exhibits antifungal action on the membrane permeability and the cell wall consistency, this might leads to cell death or inhibition of the C. albicans filamentation. Therefore, it can be used as a potential therapeutic agent for candidiasis. In addition to antifungal activity, menthol also exhibits anesthetic, antispasmodic, anti-ulcer and antiviral properties. It is considered as a safe compound for animal life. Therefore, Menthol is widely used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food industries.