Methyl Salicylate
Methyl Salicylate can damage your health and you don’t have to be Salicylate sensitive to experience a problem
Methyl Salicylate is the primary constituent in ‘Oil of Wintergreen’, a naturally fragrant oil. It is a colourless, yellowish or reddish, oily liquid with the distinct odour and taste of wintergreen or gaultheria. Methyl Salicylate is also produced synthetically and this variety of methyl Salicylate is considered to be structurally and functionally equivalent to the naturally occurring Oil of Wintergreen.
You find Methyl Salicylate in candies and sweets, chewing gums, cough mixtures, toothpastes, ointments and balms and it can be harmful if too much is eaten or rubbed into the skin. It can also cause problems if too much is inhaled.
A 21 month old boy experienced vomiting, lethargy, and rapid breathing after ingesting Methyl Salicylate in the form of a candy flavouring. Medical treatment was needed to stabilise his condition. The young child had taken in a toxic dose of Salicylate for his body weight. [5]
Davis notes that serious toxicity can result from exposure to even small amounts of Methyl Salicylate. In children less than 6 years of age, a teaspoon (5 mL) or less of oil of wintergreen has been implicated in several well-documented deaths. The toxic potential of all of the formulations available over the counter are often underestimated by health care providers and the general public. [4]
Botma et al also note that the toxic potential of Methyl Salicylate is not always fully appreciated by the general public and physicians. To appreciate the danger, oil of wintergreen can be compared to aspirin tablets (325 mg dose): one teaspoon (5 ml) of Oil of Wintergreen is equivalent to approximately 7000 mg of Salicylate or 21.7 adult aspirin tablets. They say that ingestion of as little as 4 ml in a child can be fatal. [1]
Chan notes that Methyl Salicylate (oil of wintergreen) is widely available in many over-the-counter liniments, creams, ointments, lotions or medicated oils for the relief of musculoskeletal aches and pains. Ingestion of methyl Salicylate poses the threat of severe, rapid-onset Salicylate poisoning because of its liquid, concentrated form and lipid solubility. Excessive usage of these preparations in patients receiving Warfarin may result in adverse interactions and bleedings. Methyl Salicylate in topical analgesic preparations may cause irritant or allergic contact dermatitis and anaphylactic reactions. [2]
Whilst Methyl Salicylate is commonly used as a mint and wintergreen flavouring in candies and sweets, it is also frequently found in smokeless tobacco products. Chen et al raise concerns about the amounts of Methyl Salicylate in these types of products. In the tests they carried out they found the levels seriously exceeded those in candies. Taking an average body weight and average daily intake they found that an would be 6.0 mg/kg-day which is twelve times the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0.5 mg/kg-day established for this compound by a joint FAO/WHO committee. [3]
[Aids to help people stop smoking can be potentially quite hazardous for anyone with a Salicylate sensitivity. It is not only the addition of ‘mint’ flavours but also the use of BHA and BHT in items such as nicotine gums and patches. For more information on BHA and BHT see: Antioxidants: The truth about BHA, BHT, TBHQ and other antioxidants used as food additives.]
Ingredients that indicate the presence of Methyl Salicylate include: Methyl Salicylate, Oil of wintergreen, Wintergreen oil, Gautheria oil, Sweet Birch oil, Betula oil, Teaberry oil, Mint, Flavouring
REFERENCES
1. Botma M, Colquhoun-Flannery W, Leighton S. Laryngeal oedema caused by accidental ingestion of Oil of Wintergreen. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2001 May 11;58(3):229-32.
2. Chan TY. Potential dangers from topical preparations containing methyl salicylate. Hum Exp Toxicol. 1996 Sep;15(9):747-50.
3. Chen C, Isabelle LM, Pickworth WB, Pankow JF. Levels of mint and wintergreen flavorants: smokeless tobacco products vs. confectionery products. Food Chem Toxicol. 2010 Feb;48(2):755-63.
4. Davis JE. Are one or two dangerous? Methyl salicylate exposure in toddlers. J Emerg Med. 2007 Jan;32(1):63-9.
5. Howrie DL, Moriarty R, Breit R. Candy flavoring as a source of salicylate poisoning. Pediatrics. 1985 May;75(5):869-71.