Menthol 2% / Phenol 1% in Aqueous cream

Abstract Background: This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines to examine the Key Question: Does menthol cigarette use have a differential impact on smoking cessation compared with non-menthol cigarette use?Methods: The original protocol was registered on March 22, 2016 (updated January 10, 2019; PROSPERO: CRD42019119301). Six databases were queried from inception to December 14, 2018.Results: Fifty-seven studies (27 rated “good”, 27 rated as “fair”, and three studies rated as “poor” individual study quality) that compared menthol and non-menthol smokers were qualitatively synthesized across the following cessation measures (total adjusted studies; strength of evidence grade): duration of abstinence (2; low); quit attempts (14; insufficient); rate of abstinence/quitting (28; moderate); change in smoking quantity/frequency (3; insufficient); and return to smoking/relapse (2; insufficient). Overall, the qualitative synthesis failed to show a consistent trend for the association of menthol cigarette use and smoking cessation across the outcomes. Further, meta-analytic results found no difference between menthol and non-menthol cigarette use and the two measures of quit attempts and duration of abstinence.Implications: The overall strength of evidence for an association between menthol cigarette use and smoking cessation was graded as “low”, based on deficiencies of indirectness and inconsistency in the available body of evidence. Therefore, there is no consistent, significant, or differential association between menthol cigarette use and smoking cessation.

Abstract licence: CC BY 4.0

Essential oils (EOs) are gaining ground and have been intensively studied due to their widespread use in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries. The essential components of EOs have been recognized for diverse therapeutic activities and have gained significant attention for their potential antibacterial activities. Despite the popularity of EOs and potent biological properties, their bioactive components and their derivatives are still not comprehensively characterized. This review explores the antibacterial efficacy of selected EO components and their derivatives, focusing on monoterpenes chosen (i.e., carvacrol, menthol, and thymol) and phenylpropanoids (i.e., cinnamaldehyde and eugenol). Furthermore, this review highlights recent advancements in developing derivatives of these EO components, which have shown improved antibacterial activity with reduced toxicity. By summarizing recent studies, this review reveals the potential of these natural compounds and their derivatives as promising candidates for pharmaceuticals, food preservation, and as alternatives to synthetic antibiotics in combating bacterial resistance.

Abstract licence: CC BY

Antioxidant activities of five essential oils (cinnamon, thyme, clove, lavender and peppermint oils) and their major components (eugenol, thymol, linalool, and menthol) were evaluated on scavenging DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl) free radicals, inhibiting polyunsaturated fatty acid oxidation in fish oil emulsion (FOE), and reducing oxidative stress in human red blood cells (RBC). The essential oils from cinnamon, thyme, clove and their main components, eugenol and thymol, exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in the FOE and RBC systems. It was found that the antioxidant activity of essential oils was positively correlated to the content of eugenol and thymol, while lavender and peppermint oils and their main components, linalool and menthol, had very low antioxidant activity. Compared with scavenging DPPH free radical activity, the antioxidant activity in FOE and RBC systems could better reflect the actual antioxidant potential of essential oil in preventing lipid oxidation and reducing oxidative stress in biological system.

Abstract licence: CC BY

This review examines the pharmaceutical applications of essential oils (EOs) and terpenes, highlighting their dual role as therapeutic agents and natural penetration enhancers. These volatile, hydrophobic compounds have well-documented antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, their clinical potential is limited by poor water solubility, high volatility, and sensitivity to environmental factors, including light, heat, and oxygen. To address these challenges, various advanced delivery systems have been developed to enhance stability, bioavailability, and controlled release. These systems not only protect chemical integrity but also exploit these compounds' abilities to interact with lipid membranes, facilitating the transport of active compounds across biological barriers. Additionally, their inherent antimicrobial properties can contribute to the overall stability of formulations. The review critically examines the incorporation of terpenes and major essential oil (EO) components, such as limonene, linalool, eugenol, α-pinene, and menthol, into delivery systems, assessing their performance in enhancing drug permeability and targeting specific tissues. Current challenges and future directions in terpenes and EO-based delivery strategies are discussed, highlighting their promising role in developing multifunctional and efficient pharmaceutical formulations.

Abstract licence: CC BY

The development and production of secondary metabolites from priceless medicinal plants are restricted by drought stress. Mentha pulegium L. belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is a significant plant grown in the Mediterranean region for its medicinal and aesthetic properties. This study investigated the effects of three polyethylene glycol (PEG) (0, 5, and 10%) as a drought stress inducer and four silicon nanoparticle (SiNP) (0, 25, 50, and 100 ppm) concentrations as an elicitor to overcome the adverse effect of drought stress, on the growth parameters and bioactive chemical composition of M. pulegium L. plants grown in vitro. The experiment was performed as a factorial experiment using a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of 12 treatments with two factors (3 PEG × 4 SiNPs concentrations), 6 replicates were used for each treatment for a total of 72 experimental units.The percentage of shoot formation was inversely proportional to the PEG concentration; for the highest PEG concentration, the lowest percentage of shoot formation (70.26%) was achieved at 10% PEG. SiNPs at 50 ppm enhanced shoot formation, the number of shoots, shoot height, fresh and dry weight, rosmarinic acid, total phenols, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. The methanol extract from M. pulegium revealed the presence of significant secondary metabolites using gas chromatography‒mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The principal constituents of the extract were limonene (2.51, 2.99%), linalool (3.84, 4.64%), geraniol (6.49, 8.77%), menthol (59.73, 65.43%), pulegone (3.76, 2.76%) and hexadecanoic acid methyl ester or methyl palmitate (3.2, 4.71%) for the 0 ppm SiNPs, PEG 0% and 50 ppm SiNPs, and PEG 10%, respectively. Most of the chemical components identified by GC‒MS in the methanol extract were greater in the 50 ppm SiNP and 10% PEG treatment groups than in the control group. SiNP improves drought tolerance by regulating biosynthesis and accumulating some osmolytes and lessens the negative effects of polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress.Based on the results, the best treatment for most of the parameters was 50 ppm SiNPs combined with 10% PEG, the morphological and chemical characteristics were inversely proportional to the PEG concentration, as the highest PEG concentration (10%) had the lowest results. Most parameters decreased at the highest SiNP concentration (100 ppm), except for the DPPH scavenging percentage, as there was no significant difference between the 50 and 100 ppm SiNPs.

Abstract licence: CC BY

An applicable cobalt-hydride-mediated selective, divergent hydroetherification and sequential hydroetherification/hydroarylation of 1,3-dienes with simple phenol feedstocks under a photoredox and cobalt catalytic system have been developed. A variety of allyl aryl ethers and value-added chroman derivatives can be obtained in good to excellent yields and stereoselectivity. This method not only obviates the need for extra hydrosilanes and stoichiometric oxidants, thereby offering exceedingly mild conditions for alkene hydroetherification, but also represents the first case of CoH-HAT-catalyzed sequential double hydrofunctionalization of alkenes with a sole nucleophile. The continuous and selective bond-forming catalytic system expands the applications of the cobalt-hydride MHAT reaction and provides a novel approach for the design and synthesis of heterocyclic molecules.

Abstract licence: CC BY