ACS: Menthol Additive Significantly Prolongs and Intensifies the Effects of Nicotine

South Korean scientists have found that menthol flavoring in electronic cigarettes does more than give the aerosol a refreshing taste — it also significantly enhances nicotine’s effects on the body. The findings, which point to a previously hidden risk associated with the popular additive, were published in the scientific journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience.

In the experiment, 81 male rats were placed in a transparent chamber into which aerosol was delivered through a special device. The researchers compared exposure to vapor containing the pure alkaloid with exposure to a mixture containing menthol. The animals received puffs at five-minute intervals, after which the scientists measured levels of the toxin and its breakdown products in the blood. The researchers also monitored the animals’ body temperature, as a drop in temperature is a known physiological response to exposure to a psychoactive substance that affects thermoregulation.

The combination with menthol significantly altered metabolism. With nicotine alone, the animals’ body temperature began returning to normal more quickly, whereas in the group exposed to the menthol mixture, a noticeable decrease persisted even 120 minutes after inhalation. In addition, the animals had higher levels of metabolites in their blood, and the effects of the substance were more pronounced. This suggests that the mint additive acts as an enhancer, prolonging the time the toxin remains in the bloodstream.

“The most important point is that menthol cannot be considered simply a passive flavoring additive,” said lead study author Seong-Shun Yoon. According to him, the findings in rodents convincingly demonstrate that the flavoring changes both the intensity and duration of physiological effects and internal signals that the brain receives from the psychoactive compound.

In the near future, the laboratory plans to determine exactly how menthol alters the transmission of nerve signals in the brain and to investigate whether males and females respond differently to the substance.

The use of flavored liquids has long been a subject of debate among medical professionals. Many countries, including EU member states and the United States, already have restrictions on the sale of cigarettes with additives because they mask the bitterness of smoking and attract young people. The new findings suggest that menthol may pose a dual risk by directly affecting how the body processes the harmful alkaloid.

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