 | |
| Product type | Analgesicheat rub |
|---|---|
| Owner | Kenvue |
| Produced by | Kenvue |
| Country | Developed in France by Dr. Jules Bengué |
| Introduced | 1898; 127 years ago (1898) (as Ben-Gay) |
| Markets | Over-the-counter drug |
| Previous owners | Pfizer |
| Website | www |
Bengay, spelledBen-Gay before 1995, is a topicalanalgesicheat rub for temporary relief from muscle and joint pain associated witharthritis,bruises, simplebackaches, overuse,sprains and strains.[1]
Bengay was developed in France by Dr.Jules Bengué (French pronunciation:[ʒylbɛ̃ɡe]) and brought toNorth America in 1898. The name Bengué wasAnglicized and commercialized to Ben-Gay (later Bengay). It was originally produced byPfizer Consumer Healthcare, which was acquired byJohnson & Johnson. The product is advised to be used topically for adults and children 12 years of age and older, and no more than 3 to 4 times daily.[2] The manufacturer recommends storing it between 20 and 25 °C (68 and 77 °F).[2]
According to a study published byMIT Technology Review, the exact mechanism of its efficacy is not known. However, evidence indicates that it activates theneuron receptorTRPM8, which appears to keep minor pain signals in the brain from communicating with the spine.[3]
Bengay and similar products, such asFlexall,Mentholatum,Capzasin andIcy Hot, variously containmenthol,methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen), andcapsaicin as active ingredients and have a potential to cause first-to-third-degreechemical burns.[4][5] Some people have been hospitalized after receiving such burns.[4]
Methyl salicylate can be toxic when excessively large doses, many multiples of the recommended amount, are administered;[6][7] but such incidents are very rare.[7]
In June 2007, a teenage athlete in New York overdosed and died from overexposure to methyl salicylate,[6][7] having "more than six times the safe amount of the ingredient in her body."[6]
Active ingredients vary by product version, including:
Bengay can be used to removechewing gum from clothing, as the methyl salicylate serves to loosen and diffuse the gum base.[9][10]