A critical review of the literature to conduct a toxicity assessment for oral exposure to methyl salicylate

Abstract

Methyl salicylate is the predominant constituent of oil of wintergreen and is used as a pesticide, a denaturant, an external analgesic, a fragrance ingredient, and a flavoring agent in products such as chewing gum, baked goods, syrups, candy, beverages, ice cream, and tobacco products; and it occurs naturally in some vegetables and berries. Methyl salicylate is of interest to the tobacco industry as oil of wintergreen is used as a flavorant in tobacco products. The purpose of this investigation was to conduct a critical review of the available literature for oral exposure to methyl salicylate, incorporating an analysis of the quality of the studies available and the current understanding of the mode of action. Following a review of all of the available literature, the most appropriate data sets for dose-response modeling were reported by Gulati et al. in which significant changes in reproductive/development endpoints were reported to occur after exposure to 500 mg/kg/d of methyl salicylate in male and female mice. Benchmark dose modeling was performed and the most sensitive endpoint, the number of litters per mating pair, was associated with a BMDL of 220 mg/kg/d. This BMDL was chosen as the point of departure and adjusted by a body weight scaling factor to derive a human equivalent dose. Based on the uncertainty factor analysis, the POD for methyl salicylate was adjusted by a UF of 3 for interspecies uncertainty to derive an allowable daily intake of 11 mg/kg/d.

The Volatile Phytochemistry of Seven Native American Aromatic Medicinal Plants

“…The major component of G. procumbens essential oil, methyl salicylate, is well-known as an anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic agent [53], and accounts for the traditional use of the herb by Native Americans. Methyl salicylate is a common flavoring and fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, shampoos, toilet soaps, and other toiletries, however, it is also a potentially hazardous intoxicant [54][55][56].…”

QM/MM Studies on the Photophysical Mechanism of a Truncated Octocrylene Model

“…Sunscreens usually contain several organic ultraviolet (UV) absorbers, which can undergo ultrafast nonradiative relaxation processes to dissipate absorbed irradiation energy as harmless thermal energy into surrounding environments. − A full understanding of photophysics and photochemistry of sunscreen molecules could aid the design of organic UV filters. Because of this importance, in recent years, numerous experimental and theoretical studies have been carried out to study excited-state relaxation dynamics of a variety of organic UV filters including eumelanins, − cinnamates, − benzophenones, − salicylates, − and camphors. , …”

Elicitation of the Allelopathic Potential of Rice by Methyl Salicylate Treatment

“…MeSA is an organic ester naturally produced by many plants, particularly wintergreens. It can be manufactured synthetically and it is used as a flavoring agent in foods, beverages, and liniments [31].…”