Vicks VapoRub

The product can be traced to Jules Bengué, a French pharmacist, who created Ben-Gay, a menthol-based treatment for arthritis, gout and neuralgia. Lunsford Richardson, a pharmacist in Selma, North Carolina, sold Ben-Gay and heard from his customers that it cleared their sinuses. Richardson formulated Vicks to cure his son’s croup. He blended menthol into petroleum jelly, at first calling it Richardson's Croup and Pneumonia Cure Salve, later changing the name to Vicks VapoRub. It was named after Richardson's brother-in-law, Joshua Vick, a physician who had arranged for Richardson to have access to a laboratory to create the product. Richardson began selling it in 1905, renaming it VapoRub in 1912. In 2019, Vicks re-introduced VapoCream, a cream version of VapoRub - which was previously discontinued in the early 2000s. ==Usage==

While VapoRub has in the past been marketed for hot steam inhalation, this can potentially present a risk of burns due to splattering or fire, and should never be heated or added to hot water. VapoRub is labeled only for external use, with care to avoid eyes, nostrils and mouth. Application directly under the nose is not generally recommended as both camphor and petroleum can cause health problems if absorbed. In pre-clinical animal studies, the application of Vicks VapoRub directly onto the tracheae of ferrets caused an increase in mucus production compared to a water-based lubricant. However, the study also showed that, unlike with the petroleum rub placebo, Vicks VapoRub was associated with burning sensations to the skin (28%), nose (14%) and eyes (16%), with 5% of study participants reporting redness and rash when using the product. The study's first author is a paid consultant for Procter & Gamble, maker of VapoRub. A study conducted in 1994 suggests menthol and camphor are effective cough suppressants for guinea pigs.{{cite journal ==Ingredients==

The ingredients, as listed on older product labels, are: camphor, menthol, spirits of turpentine, oil of eucalyptus, cedarwood , nutmeg, and thymol, all "in a specially balanced Vick formula". United States Active ingredients: Label reads: Active Ingredients (Purpose) Regular: Lemon: Inactive ingredients Regular & Lemon: • cedarleaf oil • nutmeg oil • petrolatum • thymol • turpentine oil Lemon: • lemon fragrance India In India, Vicks VapoRub is made by Procter & Gamble (P&G). The formulation is almost the same as the one stated above. P&G claims Vicks Vaporub to be an Ayurvedic medicine, as indicated on the package. The ingredients (per 100 g of product) are stated as follows: ==See also==