Tag: Wintergreen oil toxicity

Historically, a single teaspoon of pure methyl salicylate, or **oil of wintergreen**, contains a dangerously high amount of salicylate, equivalent to nearly twenty 300 mg aspirin tablets. This potent compound, most widely recognized by its other name, is a key ingredient in many topical pain-relieving products but demands careful and respectful use due to its toxicity.

According to research, as little as a teaspoon (5 mL) of concentrated wintergreen oil can contain the salicylate equivalent of 21.7 adult aspirin tablets, a dangerously high dose that explains why is wintergreen oil toxic. This potent concentration of the active compound, methyl salicylate, can lead to severe and potentially fatal salicylate poisoning if ingested.