A rubefacient is a substance for

topical A topical medication is a medication that is applied to a particular place on or in the body. Most often topical medication means application to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes to treat ailments via a large range of classes ...

application that produces redness of the

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...

, e.g. by causing

dilation wiktionary:dilation, Dilation (or dilatation) may refer to: Physiology or medicine * Cervical dilation, the widening of the cervix in childbirth, miscarriage etc. * Coronary dilation, or coronary reflex * Dilation and curettage, the opening of ...

of the

capillaries A capillary is a small blood vessel, from 5 to 10 micrometres in diameter, and is part of the microcirculation system. Capillaries are microvessels and the smallest blood vessels in the body. They are composed of only the tunica intima (the in ...

and an increase in

blood circulation In vertebrates, the circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the body. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart an ...

. It has sometimes been used to relieve acute or chronic pain, but there is limited evidence as to its efficacy,Mason et al. 200
''Systematic review of efficacy of topical rubefacients containing salicylates for the treatment of acute and chronic pain''
BMJ 328:995 and as of 2014 the best evidence does not support using gels and creams containing rubefacients for this purpose.

Examples

Common medicinal rubefacients include: * Salicylates, such as

methyl salicylate Methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen or wintergreen oil) is an organic compound with the formula C8H8O3. It is the methyl ester of salicylic acid. It is a colorless, viscous liquid with a sweet, fruity odor reminiscent of root beer (in which it ...

(oil of wintergreen) * Nicotinate esters *

Capsaicin Capsaicin (8-methyl-''N''-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) (, rarely ) is an active component of chili peppers, which are plants belonging to the genus ''Capsicum''. It is a potent Irritation, irritant for Mammal, mammals, including humans, and produces ...

, derived from

chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

, ''

Capsicum ''Capsicum'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the Solanum, nightshade family Solanaceae, native to the Americas, cultivated worldwide for their edible fruit, which are generally known as "peppers" or "capsicum". Chili peppers grow on five s ...

minimum'', "incites irritation without rubefaction" *

Isopropanol Isopropyl alcohol (IUPAC name propan-2-ol and also called isopropanol or 2-propanol) is a colorless, flammable, organic compound with a pungent alcoholic odor. Isopropyl alcohol, an organic polar molecule, is miscible in water, ethanol, an ...

(rubbing alcohol) *

Menthol Menthol is an organic compound, specifically a Monoterpene, monoterpenoid, that occurs naturally in the oils of several plants in the Mentha, mint family, such as Mentha arvensis, corn mint and peppermint. It is a white or clear waxy crystallin ...

Minoxidil Minoxidil is a medication used for the treatment of high blood pressure and pattern hair loss. It is an antihypertensive and a vasodilator. It is available as a generic medication by prescription in oral administration, oral tablet (pharmacy), ...

* Thurfyl nicotinate (Trafuril) Common herbal rubefacients include: *Cloves (''

Syzygium aromaticum Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands, or Moluccas, in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring, or fragrance in consumer products ...

'') *Garlic (''

Allium sativum Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion, and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. Garlic is native to ...

'') *Ginger ('' Zingiber officinale'') *Horseradish ''( Cochlearia armoracia'') *Mustard (''

Brassica alba White mustard (''Sinapis alba''), also called yellow mustard, is an annual plant of the cabbage family. It is sometimes also referred to as ''Brassica alba'' or ''B. hirta''. It probably originated in the Mediterranean region, but is now ...

'' or ''

Brassica nigra ''Rhamphospermum nigrum'' (syns. ''Brassica nigra'' and ''Sinapis nigra''), black mustard, is an annual plant native to cooler regions of North Africa, temperate regions of Europe, and parts of Asia. It is cultivated for its dark-brown-to-black se ...

'') *Nettle (''

Urtica dioica ''Urtica dioica'', often known as common nettle, burn nettle, stinging nettle (although not all plants of this species sting) or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Or ...

'') *Rue (''

Ruta graveolens ''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of the genus ''Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Mediterranean. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for it ...

'') *Peppermint (''

Mentha piperita Peppermint (''Mentha'' × ''piperita'') is a hybrid species of mint, a cross between watermint and spearmint. Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now widely spread and cultivated in many regions of the world.Euro+Med Plantba ...

'')

References

{{Reflist Alternative medicine Dermatologic drugs Sports medicine procedures

Examples

See also

References