View source for Bengay

{{short description|Brand of analgesic heat rub}}
{{About||the American football running back|Benjamin Gay|the Arkansas community|Ben-Gay, Arkansas}}
{{Infobox brand
| name           = Bengay
| logo           = File:Bengay logo.png
| logo_upright   = 
| logo_alt       = 
| logo_caption   = 
| image          = 
| image_upright  = 
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| producttype    = [[Analgesic]] [[heat rub]]
| currentowner   = [[Kenvue]]
| producedby     = Kenvue
| country        = Developed in France by Dr. Jules Bengué
| introduced     = {{start date and age|1898}} (as Ben-Gay)
| discontinued   = 
| related        = 
| markets        = [[Over-the-counter drug]]
| previousowners = [[Pfizer]]
| trademarkregistrations = 
| ambassadors    = 
| tagline        = 
| website        = {{url|http://www.bengay.com}}
| module         = <!-- or: misc -->
| module1        = <!-- or: misc1 -->
}}
'''Bengay''', spelled '''Ben-Gay''' before 1995, is a topical [[analgesic]] [[heat rub]] for temporary relief from muscle and joint pain associated with [[arthritis]], [[bruise]]s, simple [[backache]]s, overuse, [[sprain]]s and strains.<ref>{{cite web | title=Self-medicate or see a doctor? A guide for 5 common ailments | website=[[AsiaOne]] | date=April 1, 2015 | url=http://health.asiaone.com/health/body-mind/self-medicate-or-see-doctor-guide-5-common-ailments | access-date=June 29, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220161854/http://health.asiaone.com/health/body-mind/self-medicate-or-see-doctor-guide-5-common-ailments | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Overview==
Bengay was developed in France by Dr. [[Jules Bengué]] ({{IPA|fr|ʒyl bɛ̃ɡe}}) and brought to [[North America]] in 1898. The name Bengué was [[Anglicized]] and commercialized to Ben-Gay (later Bengay). It was originally produced by [[Pfizer]] Consumer Healthcare, which was acquired by [[Johnson & Johnson]]. The product is advised to be used topically for adults and children 12 years of age and older, and no more than 3 to 4 times daily.<ref name = bengay>{{cite web|title=Bengay official website|url=http://www.bengay.com/bengay-ultra-strength-cream}}</ref> The manufacturer recommends storing it between {{convert|20|and|25|C}}.<ref name=bengay /> 

According to a study published by [[MIT Technology Review]], the exact mechanism of its efficacy is not known. However, evidence indicates that it activates the [[neuron]] receptor [[TRPM8]], which appears to keep minor pain signals in the brain from communicating with the spine.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Mystery of BenGay |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2006/08/22/273714/the-mystery-of-bengay/ |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=MIT Technology Review |language=en}}</ref>

==Hazards==

Bengay and similar products, such as [[Flexall]], [[Mentholatum]], [[Capzasin]] and [[Icy Hot]], variously contain [[menthol]], [[methyl salicylate]] (oil of wintergreen), and [[capsaicin]] as active ingredients and have a potential to cause first-to-third-degree [[chemical burn]]s.<ref name="Group 2012">{{cite web| title=Bengay may cause chemical burns | website=[[WSTM-TV]] | date=September 13, 2012 | url=http://cnycentral.com/news/local/bengay-may-cause-chemical-burns | access-date=June 29, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Chatham Daily News 2012">{{cite web | title=Bengay, Icy Hot can cause serious burns: FDA | website=Chatham Daily News | date=September 13, 2012 | url=http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2012/09/13/bengay-icy-hot-creams-can-cause-serious-burns-food-and-drug-watchdog | access-date=June 29, 2016}}</ref> Some people have been hospitalized after receiving such burns.<ref name="Group 2012"/>

Methyl salicylate can be toxic when excessively large doses, many multiples of the recommended amount, are administered;<ref name="Nazario 2007">{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y8UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA60 | title=Bumpy Road | publisher=Women's Health | date=October 2007 | access-date=29 June 2016 | author=Nazario, Brunilda}}</ref><ref name="Mundell 2007">{{cite news | last=Mundell | first=E.J. | title=Bengay Death Highlights OTC Dangers | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=June 15, 2007 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/15/AR2007061500676.html | access-date=June 29, 2016}}</ref> but such incidents are very rare.<ref name="Mundell 2007"/>

In June 2007, a teenage athlete in New York overdosed and died from overexposure to methyl salicylate,<ref name="Nazario 2007"/><ref name="Mundell 2007"/> having "more than six times the safe amount of the ingredient in her body."<ref name="Nazario 2007"/>

==Active ingredients==
Active ingredients vary by product version, including:

* ''Bengay: Original'' – 18.3% [[methyl salicylate]] and 16% [[menthol]].<ref name="Pray 2006 p. 335">{{cite book | last=Pray | first=W.S. | title=Nonprescription Product Therapeutics | publisher=[[Lippincott Williams & Wilkins]] | series=Nonprescription Product Therapeutics | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-7817-3498-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XU1sMK1djVAC&pg=PA335 | access-date=June 29, 2016 | page=335}}</ref>
* ''Bengay: Muscle Pain/Ultra Strength'' – 30% methyl salicylate, 10% menthol, and 4% [[camphor]].<ref name="Pray 2006 p. 335"/>
* ''Bengay: Ice Extra Strength'' – 10% menthol.
* ''Bengay: Muscle Pain/No Odor'' – 15% [[Trolamine salicylate|triethanolamine salicylate]].
* ''Bengay: Arthritis Extra Strength'' – 30% methyl salicylate and 8% menthol.<ref name="Pray 2006 p. 335"/>

==Other uses==
Bengay can be used to remove [[chewing gum]] from clothing, as the methyl salicylate serves to loosen and diffuse the gum base.<ref name="Janeway 2016">{{cite web | last=Janeway | first=Kimberly | title=How to Remove Stains Like Mustard, Red Wine, and Ink | website=[[Consumer Reports]] | date=June 24, 2016 | url=http://www.consumerreports.org/laundry-cleaning/how-to-remove-stains-mustard-red-wine-ink/ | access-date=June 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=How to get rid of chewing gum from clothes | website=[[Deccan Chronicle]] | date=June 28, 2016 | url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/viral-and-trending/280616/how-to-get-rid-of-chewing-gum-from-clothes.html | access-date=June 29, 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Tiger Balm]]
* [[Heat Rub]]
* [[IcyHot]]
* [[Deep Heat (heat rub)|Deep Heat]]
* [[Flexpower]]
* [[RUB A535]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Haig | first=M. | title=Brand Failures: The Truth about the 100 Biggest Branding Mistakes of All Time | publisher=[[Kogan Page]] | series=Kogan Page Series | year=2005 | isbn=978-0-7494-4433-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6o7SrLdgx8gC&pg=PA95 | page=95}}
* {{cite book | last1=Claims | first1=United States. Court of | last2=Appeals | first2=District of Columbia. Court of | title=The Federal Reporter | publisher=[[West (publisher)|West Publishing Company]] | year=1985 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VxY1AQAAIAAJ&q=Ben-Gay | pages=209–211}}
* {{cite magazine | last=Justo | first=Patrick Di | title=What's Inside Ultra-Strength Bengay? | magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] | date=October 20, 2008 | url=https://www.wired.com/2008/10/st-whatsinside-10/ | access-date=June 29, 2016}}
* {{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NbZXAAAAMAAJ&q=Ben-Gay | title=Food, Drug, Cosmetic Law Reporter | publisher=Commerce Clearing House | date=1960 | pages=8431, 8495–8496}}
* {{cite book | last=PDR | first=Thomson | author2=Physicians | title=PDR for Nonprescription Drugs and Dietary Supplements | publisher=Thomson Pdr | year=2004 | isbn=978-1-56363-478-9 | url=https://archive.org/details/physiciansdeskre00pdr | url-access=registration | page=[https://archive.org/details/physiciansdeskre00pdr/page/n34 643]}} {{subscription required}}
* {{cite book | last=Shetty | first=D. | title=Product Design For Engineers | publisher=Cengage Learning | year=2015 | isbn=978-1-305-53719-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u5uaBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA28 | pages=28–29}}
* {{cite web | last=Johnsen | first=Michael | title=Dara Torres to serve as brand ambassador to Bengay | website=Drug Store News | date=July 26, 2011 | url=http://www.drugstorenews.com/article/dara-torres-serve-brand-ambassador-bengay | access-date=June 29, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816184412/http://www.drugstorenews.com/article/dara-torres-serve-brand-ambassador-bengay | archive-date=August 16, 2016 | url-status=dead }}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.bengay.com}}
* [https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/search.cfm?labeltype=all&query=bengay Product information]. [[DailyMed]]. [[United States National Library of Medicine]].
* [http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-61405/bengay-topical/details BenGay Topical]. [[WebMD]].

{{Johnson & Johnson}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ointments]]
[[Category:Drugs developed by Johnson & Johnson]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1898]]