Cellular and molecular targets of menthol actions

Murat Oz, Eslam G. El Nebrisi, Keun Hang S. Yang, Frank C. Howarth, Lina T. Al Kury

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

69 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Menthol belongs to monoterpene class of a structurally diverse group of phytochemicals found in plant-derived essential oils. Menthol is widely used in pharmaceuticals, confectionary, oral hygiene products, pesticides, cosmetics, and as a flavoring agent. In addition, menthol is known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects. Recently, there has been renewed awareness in comprehending the biological and pharmacological effects of menthol. TRP channels have been demonstrated to mediate the cooling actions of menthol. There has been new evidence demonstrating that menthol can significantly influence the functional characteristics of a number of different kinds of ligand and voltage-gated ion channels, indicating that at least some of the biological and pharmacological effects of menthol can be mediated by alterations in cellular excitability. In this article, we examine the results of earlier studies on the actions of menthol with voltage and ligand-gated ion channels.

Original languageEnglish
Article number472
JournalFrontiers in Pharmacology
Volume8
Issue numberJUL
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 18 2017

Keywords

  • Ligand-gated ion channels
  • Menthol
  • Monoterpenes
  • TRP channels
  • Voltage-gated ion channels

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacology (medical)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Cellular and molecular targets of menthol actions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this