oil of wintergreen

essential oil

Also known as: wintergreen oil

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

Oil of wintergreen is the methyl ester of salicylic acid, primarily known for its use as a flavoring agent and a counterirritant for muscle aches and pains. It is a volatile substance derived from the leaves of the wintergreen plant (Gaultheria procumbens), also known as teaberry or checkerberry. The active ingredient is methyl salicylate, which can also be synthesized for commercial use.12

Essential oils, in general, are volatile substances extracted from plants and are named after their source, such as peppermint oil or rose oil. They are used commercially as odorants in perfumes and cosmetics, as flavors in food products, and in pharmaceuticals. Oil of wintergreen is notable for containing a very high percentage of methyl salicylate, around 98%.3

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essential oil
Chemical composition
…a few components predominate: thus oil of wintergreen contains about 98 percent of methyl salicylate; orange oil, about 90 percent of d-limonene; bois de rose, 90 percent of linalool; and cassia, up to 95 percent of cinnamaldehyde. In most oils there is a mixture of anywhere from a few dozen…
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…a few components predominate: thus oil of wintergreen contains about 98 percent of methyl salicylate; orange oil, about 90 percent of d-limonene; bois de rose, 90 percent of linalool; and cassia, up to 95 percent of cinnamaldehyde. In most oils there is a mixture of anywhere from a few dozen…
Read More

wintergreen
Oil of wintergreen, derived from the leaves of Gaultheria procumbens, is a volatile oil used as a flavouring for candies and chewing gum and in the treatment of muscular aches and pains. The active ingredient, methyl salicylate, is also synthesized and sold as oil of…
Read More
Oil of wintergreen, derived from the leaves of Gaultheria procumbens, is a volatile oil used as a flavouring for candies and chewing gum and in the treatment of muscular aches and pains. The active ingredient, methyl salicylate, is also synthesized and sold as oil of…
Read More