How Tiger Balm Works
The active components of Tiger Balm come from plants. They are blended with paraffin oil.
Menthol, eucalyptus, and oil of wintergreen are believed to relieve pain with a cooling sensation that distracts you from the pain.5 Such products are called counterirritants and offer temporary pain relief.
These are the active ingredients used in various combinations in Tiger Balm products:
- Camphor comes from the Cinnamomum camphora plant. It induces warm and cold sensations in the skin and increases blood flow.6
- Menthol is made from mint oils. It may cause blood vessels to constrict, which has been shown to reduce pain.7
- Methyl salicylate is an anti-inflammatory and analgesic derived from the leaves of the wintergreen plant.8
- Capsicum extract is an analgesic derived from chili peppers.9
These ingredients are considered inactive, but they may still have some benefits for relieving pain:
- Cajuput oil comes from cajuput trees. It is used to relieve toothaches and headaches in some cultures.
- Cassia oil comes from the bark of the Cinnamomum cassia plant. It may have an anti-inflammatory effect.10
- Dementholized mint oil comes from a peppermint plant. It's been used as a topical treatment for pain.
- Clove oil comes from a clove plant. It's been used to ease toothaches.
Tiger Balm has a long history. Manufactured and distributed by Haw Par Healthcare in Singapore, its "secret" herbal formula is said to date back as far as the Chinese emperors. Today, over 20 million jars of Tiger Balm are sold each year in over 70 countries.11
