小護士軟膏 / 曼秀雷敦 / 面速立達姆 / Mentholatum Ointment
It seems like my blogging muse tend to visit after 1AM.
I’m fine with that, as long as there’s no work the next morning!
Been intrigued by the Mentholatum ointment (小護士 “little nurse” 軟膏) for a while now, decided to sit down and read up on that a little bit.
I grew up seeing lots of people using it for various skin ailments in Taiwan.. I may have used it myself too, though I can’t quite remember.
It’s so popular that there were (and still are) lots of TV commercials for it, for example:
I’ve seen it used for bug bites, superficial abrasions, contusions, lacerations, itchiness, eczema, etc.
Sounds like a do-it-all ointment!
Brief summary of its uses (taken from official website):
“曼秀雷敦軟膏係以精純之薄荷、樟腦及數種名貴藥材配製而成，可用於皮膚乾裂， 燙、晒傷，刀傷，搔癢，瘀傷，剃鬍後，昆蟲咬，穿鞋腫痛等- 並具優秀的雙重作用，可緩解感冒所引起的疼痛及發炎，塗抹於胸部及喉嚨可深入滲透，同時解除喉嚨痛及使呼吸順暢- 對輕微的皮膚刺激及外傷具優良效果* 二歲以上兒童適用，欲使用於二歲以下兒童，請諮詢醫師或藥師後，並於監護人的監督下使用”
Ingredients:
Menthol (薄荷醇) 1.35% – decongestent / anti-pruritic (anti-itching) / mild topical anesthetic
Camphor (樟腦) 9.6% – cough suppressant / anti-pruritic (anti-itching) / mild topical anesthetic
Eucalyptus oil (尤加利樹精油) 1.3% – decongestent/expectorant with ‘mild antibacterial effects for respiratory infections’
Methyl salicylate (甲基水楊酸) 0.22% * – topical anesthetic / anti-inflammatory
Petrolatum base (vaseline) (凡士林) 87.07% – lubricant / moisturizer
Turpentine oil (松節油) 0.36% – mild antiseptic
Titanium dioxide (二氧化鈦) 0.10%
* People who are allergic/intolerant of aspirins or ibuprofen (advil), or have asthma (氣喘) (especially aspirin-sensitive asthma) should NOT use any products containing methyl salicylates
* “In pure form, methyl salicylate is toxic, especially when taken internally. A single teaspoon of methyl salicylate contains 7g of salicylate, which is equivalent to more than twenty-three 300 mg aspirin tablets.”
* “A 17 year-old cross-country runner at Notre Dame Academy on Staten Island, died April 3, 2007, after her body absorbed high levels of methyl salicylate through excessive use of topical muscle-pain relief products”
* 綠油精, 白花油, 撒隆巴斯 also contains 甲基水楊酸
To sum up, Mentholatum (ie: Menthol + Petrolatum) has some anti-pruritic (止癢), anesthetic (止痛), moisturizing (保溼) properties, with mild decongestant (舒緩鼻塞), anti-inflammatory (消炎/消腫) effects, and minimal antiseptic (消毒) effects.
Now comparing 小護士軟膏 to Vicks VapoRub Ointment:
MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS:
Camphor 4.73% w/w
Menthol 2.6% w/w
Eucalyptus Oil 1.2% w/w
NON-MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS:
Cedarleaf oil, myristica oil, petrolatum, thymol, turpentine oil
Camphor 4.73% w/w
Menthol 2.6% w/w
Eucalyptus Oil 1.2% w/w
NON-MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS:
Cedarleaf oil, myristica oil, petrolatum, thymol, turpentine oil
Vicks lacks the methyl salicylate (甲基水楊酸) that’s present in 小護士, but has some other essential volatile oils.
It seems like they are comparable products.
小護士 may provide slightly better pain relief with the presence of methyl salicylate.
However, people who have asthma or are allergic/intolerant to aspirin/ibuprofen should avoid using 小護士, to prevent triggering an asthma attack or allergic reaction.
小護士 is acceptable for mild dry/cracked/inflammed skin (皮膚乾裂/皮膚發炎), though I suspect it may not help it heal any faster than vaseline or other skin barrier/moisturizing creams.
For more severe eczema (皮膚炎/濕疹), use Hydrocortisone 0.5% cream (over-the-counter / 非處方藥) two times a day, or seek medical attention.
For skin infections, 小護士 has minimal effect. Try polysporin or other anti-bacterial cream first, and/or seek medical attention.
I would advise Against 小護士 as treatment of burns (燙傷). Always run burnt skin under cold running water and apply dressing as needed. Don’t use ointment on it as it can trap heat. Consider Polysporin (antibiotic) cream if there is broken skin. If there is spreading redness or pus, seek medical attention.
Also, use 小護士 on external surfaces only.
Other popular over-the-counter drugs used in Taiwan:
普拿疼 = Panadol = Paracetamol = acetaminophen = Tylenol
布洛芬 = Ibuprofen = Advil = Motrin
萬金油 = “Tiger Balm”
撒隆巴斯 = Salonpas (Methyl Salicylate 10%, Menthol 3%)
3:30AM, time for bed.
update: baby, it’s 5AM and I must be crazy
The Brooding Falcon 