Minty fresh painkiller

MINT is great for sweet kisses or for covering up that lunchtime martini, but, as herbalists have long known, the menthol within its oils also soothes and cools the skin. Now scientists have discovered the basis for that property, known scientifically as cool-induced analgesia, and are working on new therapies for alleviating pain.

In a study published last week in the journal Current Biology, researchers from the University of Edinburgh reported that cooling mint oil compounds act through a newly discovered receptor found in some nerve cells.

The receptor, called TRPM8, is activated by the chemicals and stops pain messages from being sent to the brain.

Susan Fleetwood-Walker, a coauthor of the study and a professor at the university, says that the finding could lead to new types of topical drugs that would improve on the chemicals in mint oil or that menthol-containing old standby, Bengay.

“Mint extract may have some effect, but it’s difficult to predict because menthol can affect a number of types of nerves, depending on the dose,” she says. “More specifically designed drugs are going to be more effective.”

Newly developed topical drugs could help people suffering from arthritis or chronic pain from nerve damage. They could provide hours of pain relief with less chance of side effects, she says.

Clinical trials of cooling compounds will begin soon, she adds. “We know exactly what we should be targeting now.”