Menthol with camphor and methyl salicylate
- Drugs List
- Therapeutic Indications
- Dosage
- Precautions and Warnings
- Pregnancy and Lactation
- Side Effects
- Monograph
Drugs List
Therapeutic Indications
Uses
Symptomatic relief of colds, catarrh and hay fever.
Muscular pain and stiffness, including backache, sciatica, lumbago, fibrositis, rheumatic pain, bruises and chilblains.
Minor skin conditions, including dry and chapped skin, nettle rash, insect bites and stings, and itching.
Dosage
Adults
Colds, catarrh and hay fever
Inhalation of vapour following either rubbing into chest, throat and back or melting 1 teaspoon full in a pint of hot (not boiling water).
Muscular pain and stiffness
Apply with gentle massage to affected area 2 - 3 times daily.
Minor skin conditions
Dab a small amount lightly onto affected skin.
Elderly
Children
Children 1 year and above
See adult dose. No dosage adjustment required
Children under 1 year
Contraindicated
Precautions and Warnings
Avoid contact with eyes, mucous membranes, and inflamed or broken skin.
May provoke bronchospasm in patients with asthma.
Wash hands immediately after use.
Discontinue immediately if irritation or any other adverse reaction develops.
Advise patient to consult a doctor if symptoms persist despite treatment.
Keep site of application to the body uncovered or loosely covered.
Pregnancy - see 'Pregnancy' section
Breastfeeding - see 'Lactation' section
Pregnancy and Lactation
Pregnancy
Manufacturer recommends to avoid use during pregnancy unless considered necessary.
The use of all medication in pregnancy should be avoided whenever possible; particularly in the first trimester. Non-drug treatments should also be considered. When essential, a medication with the best safety record over time should be chosen, employing the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time. Polypharmacy should be avoided. Teratogens taken in the pre-embryonic period, often quoted as lasting until 14-17 days post-conception, are believed to have an all-or-nothing effect. Where drugs have a short half-life, and when the date of conception is certain, this may allow women to be reassured where drug exposure has occurred within this time frame. Further advice may be available from the UK National Teratology Information Service (NTIS) and through ToxBase, available via password on the internet ( www.toxbase.org ) or if this is unavailable at the backup site ( www.toxbasebackup.org ).
Lactation
Manufacturer recommends to avoid use during breastfeeding unless considered necessary.
Neonates, infants born prematurely, those with low birth weight, those with an unstable gastrointestinal function or who have serious illnesses may require special consideration. For any infant, if a drug is prescribed to the nursing mother, it should be at the lowest practical dose and for the shortest time. When drug administration is unavoidable and breastfeeding is to continue, minimisation of exposure of the infant to the drug may sometimes be achieved by timing the maternal doses to just after a feeding episode. Infants exposed to drugs via breast milk should be monitored for unusual signs or symptoms. Interactions between the drug received by the infant from the mother's milk and medication prescribed for the infant should also be considered, for example, when the drug given to the infant may prevent metabolism of the drug received via breast milk.
Specialist advice is available from the UK Drugs in Lactation Advisory Service at https://www.midlandsmedicines.nhs.uk/content.asp?section=6&subsection=17&pageIdx=1
Effects on Ability to Drive and Operate Machinery
None known
Side Effects
Skin reddening
Burning sensation
Rash
Overdosage
It is strongly recommended that the UK National Poisons Information Service be consulted on cases of suspected or actual overdose where there is doubt over the degree of risk or about appropriate management.
The following number will direct the caller to the relevant local centre (0844) 892 0111.
Information may be obtained if you have access to ToxBase the primary clinical toxicology database of the National Poisons Information Service. This is available via password on the internet ( www.toxbase.org ) or if this is unavailable at the backup site ( www.toxbasebackup.org ).
Shelf Life and Storage
No special requirements.
Reference Sources
Summary of Product Characteristics: Mentholatum Vapour Rub. The Mentholatum Company Limited. (no revision date).
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