Methyl salicylate (Betula oil, Gaultheria oil, Methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate, Natural wintergreen oil) is an organic ester naturally produced by many species of plants, particularly wintergreens. It is an agonist for TRPA1 and TRPV1.
In human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing human TRPV1 (hTRPV1), Methyl salicylate evokes increases of [Ca2+]i, which declines regardless of its continuous presence, indicative of marked desensitization. Methyl salicylate promotes Ca2+ influx through the activation of TRPV1 channels and reversibly inhibits hTRPV1 activation by polymodal stimuli such as capsaicin, protons, heat, anandamide, and 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate. Methyl salicylate is an effective agonist for recombinant human and porcine TRPV1[1].
Methyl salicylate significantly suppresses nocifensive behavior induced by intraplantar capsaicin in rats[1].
[1] Ohta T, et al. Mol Pharmacol. 2009, 75(2):307-17.