Ben-Gay
Encyclopedia
Bengay, spelled Ben-Gay prior to 1995, is an analgesic
heat rub
used to relieve muscle and joint pain. It was developed in France by Dr. Jules Bengué, and brought to America in 1898. The name Bengué was anglicized to Bengay. It was originally produced by Pfizer
Consumer Healthcare which was later acquired by Johnson & Johnson
.
Methyl salicylate
can be toxic if the cream is used in excess.
Analgesic
An analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
heat rub
Heat rub
Heat rub is the name for a variety of products intended to relieve the pain of fibrositis, lumbago and muscular aches and strains. They are so named because they produce a feeling of warmth within the muscle of the area they are applied to, typically acting as rubefacients via a counterirritant...
used to relieve muscle and joint pain. It was developed in France by Dr. Jules Bengué, and brought to America in 1898. The name Bengué was anglicized to Bengay. It was originally produced by Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
Consumer Healthcare which was later acquired by Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
.
Active ingredients
The active ingredients vary by the version of the product.- Bengay: Original contains 15% Methyl SalicylateMethyl salicylateMethyl salicylate is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants which produce it are called wintergreens, hence the common name.-Botanical background:...
and 10% MentholMentholMenthol is an organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. The main form of menthol occurring in nature is -menthol, which is assigned... - Bengay: Muscle Pain/Ultra Strength contains 30% Methyl SalicylateMethyl salicylateMethyl salicylate is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants which produce it are called wintergreens, hence the common name.-Botanical background:...
, 10% MentholMentholMenthol is an organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. The main form of menthol occurring in nature is -menthol, which is assigned...
, and 4% CamphorCamphorCamphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel , a large evergreen tree found in Asia and also of Dryobalanops aromatica, a giant of the Bornean forests...
. - Bengay: Ice Extra Strength contains 10% MentholMentholMenthol is an organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. The main form of menthol occurring in nature is -menthol, which is assigned...
. - Bengay: Muscle Pain/No Odor contains 15% Triethanolamine SalicylateTrolamine salicylateTrolamine salicylate is an organic compound which is the salt formed between triethanolamine and salicylic acid.It is used as an ingredient in sunscreens, analgesic creams, and cosmetics. The salicylic acid portion contributes to both the sun protection effect and to the analgesic effect. The...
. - Bengay: Arthritis Extra Strength 30% Methyl SalicylateMethyl salicylateMethyl salicylate is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants which produce it are called wintergreens, hence the common name.-Botanical background:...
and 8% MentholMentholMenthol is an organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. The main form of menthol occurring in nature is -menthol, which is assigned...
.
Methyl salicylate
Methyl salicylate
Methyl salicylate is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants which produce it are called wintergreens, hence the common name.-Botanical background:...
can be toxic if the cream is used in excess.
See also
- Namman MuayNamman MuayNamman Muay is a herbal liniment made from botanical products from Thailand. Its main active ingredients are known to reduce inflammation and aid in blood circulation...
- Tiger BalmTiger BalmTiger Balm is the trade name for a heat rub manufactured and distributed by Haw Par Healthcare in Singapore.- History :It was originally developed in the 1870s by a herbalist, Aw Chu Kin, in Rangoon, Burma, who asked his sons Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par on his deathbed to perfect the...
- Heat RubHeat rubHeat rub is the name for a variety of products intended to relieve the pain of fibrositis, lumbago and muscular aches and strains. They are so named because they produce a feeling of warmth within the muscle of the area they are applied to, typically acting as rubefacients via a counterirritant...
- IcyHotIcyHotIcyHot is a topical rubefacient heat rub meant for relieving pains such as arthritis, backache, muscle strains, sprains, bruises, and cramps. IcyHot, produced and marketed by Chattem, now a subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis, is known for its dual action pain relief, claiming it is "Icy to dull the...
- Deep HeatDeep Heat (Heat rub)Deep Heat is a topical, rubefacient, heat rub manufactured by Mentholatum, common in the UK, Ireland and Australia and claim to relieve pains such as rheumatic pain, backache, lumbago and muscle sprains....
- FlexpowerFlexpowerFlex-power is a topical analgesic cream that is intended to relieve muscle and joint pain associated with arthritis, backaches, knee pain, shoulder pain, tendinitis, strains, sprains, and bruises. Initially created for professional athletes to enhance performance, it is promoted as a daily topical...