menthyl valerate

Menthyl valerate is an ester formed from menthol and valeric acid. It is a colorless to pale yellow oily liquid with a characteristic odor of menthol and valerian. Menthyl valerate is used primarily as a flavoring agent in the food industry and as an active ingredient in certain anxiolytic medications—most notably under the brand name Validol. In pharmaceutical use (especially in Eastern Europe), it is often combined with free menthol (about 25–30%) to form sublingual tablets or lozenges for relief of nervous tension, anxiety, functional cardialgias (chest pain not related to heart disease), neuroses, and as an antiemetic for motion sickness[4][5][6][7][8][9]. The mechanism of action appears to involve mild sedative effects through positive allosteric modulation of GABAA receptors[5], leading to anxiolytic and calming properties.

Brand names

ValidolExtravalerianicValofinMenthoval

Other names

menthyl valerate5-methyl-2-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexyl pentanoate(1.alpha.,2.beta.,5.alpha.)-3-methylbutanoic acid 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexyl estermenthylvalerianat