Wintergreen Oil

Wintergreen oil is a beneficial essential oil that’s extracted from the leaves of the Gaultheria procumbens evergreen plant. Once steeped in in warm water, beneficial enzymes within wintergreen leaves called methyl salicylates are released, which are then concentrated into an easy-to-use extract formula using steam distillation.

What is another name for oil of wintergreen? Also sometimes called eastern teaberry, checkerberry or gaultheria oil, wintergreen has been used for centuries by tribes native to North America for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and more.

Wintergreen Oil Uses

The Gaultheria procumbens wintergreen plant is a member of the Ericaceae plant family. Native to North America, especially cooler parts of the Northeast United States and Canada, wintergreen trees that produce bright red berries can be found growing freely throughout forests.

Research shows that wintergreen oil has the ability to act like a natural analgesic (pain reducer), antiarthritic, antiseptic and astringent. It primarily contains the active ingredient methyl salicylate, which makes up about 85 percent to 99 percent of this essential oil.

Wintergreen is one of the best sources of this inflammation-fighting compound in the world and believed to be one of only several plants that naturally supply enough to form an extract. Birch essential oil also contains methyl salicylate and therefore has similar tension-reducing benefits and uses.

Additionally, wintergreen also contains antioxidants and beneficial ingredients, including:

• guaiadienes
• a-pinene
• myrcene
• delta 3-carene
• limonene
• delta-cadinene

What is wintergreen oil used for?

Some of its uses include helping treat fatigue along with lung, sinus and respiratory illnesses. This oil is naturally an antioxidant, energizing and immune-enhancing, since it lowers inflammation and reduces pain.

Wintergreen is absorbed into skin quickly and acts like a numbing agent, similar to cortisone. It also promotes blood circulation and cools irritation, which is comforting to swollen skin.

You’ll find this oil used as an active ingredient in many topical pain relievers to help ease muscle joint and bone pain. Today, it’s commonly used for reducing other painful conditions, too.

For example, wintergreen is used to help with headaches, chronic nerve pain, PMS symptoms and arthritis. This is because wintergreen naturally contains active constituents that work similarly to aspirin.

The leaves are also beneficial for preventing and treating digestion problems, including stomachaches, cramps, gas and bloating. Because wintergreen oil can help fight inflammation, it’s also effective for helping treat a wide variety of illnesses — everything from respiratory issues like asthma to colds, flu, kidney problems and even heart disease.

Wintergreen Essential Oil Benefits

As a primary source of methyl salicylate, a lipophilic liquid that is commonly used as a natural analgesic, counterirritant and rubefacient ingredient in commercially marketed over-the-counter dermatological products, wintergreen has the most researched benefits in regard to pain management and numbing skin and sore muscles.

The effectiveness of the topically applied product depends on the release of the drug and the dosage form. Research shows that methyl salicylate from typical ointment bases and several commercial products works differently on pain, with more concentrated forms (such as pure wintergreen oil) producing the most effects.

Aside from fighting pain, other evidence shows that wintergreen is a powerful fighter of free radical damage and oxidative damage. Researchers have found high levels of inflammation-fighting antioxidants withinwintergreen, including phenolics, procyanidins and phenolic acids. Moderate levels of flavonoid antioxidants have also been found.