Industry News Tracker | Perfumer & Flavorist | February 17, 2026
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Executive Brief

New research from Tokyo University of Science has uncovered remarkable supersynergistic effects between common trigeminactives—capsaicin, menthol, and 1,8-cineole—revealing their potential as potent anti-inflammatory agents at trace levels. Traditionally valued for sensory sensations like heat, cooling, and pungency, these compounds demonstrate up to a 700-fold increase in anti-inflammatory efficacy when combined, enabling functional benefits in fragrance, flavour, and personal care formulations without compromising palatability or causing irritation. This discovery positions everyday sensory actives as multifunctional bioactives, addressing the challenge of delivering therapeutic anti-inflammatory effects at low, consumer-acceptable doses.

Keywords: Trigeminactives, Supersynergy, Anti-Inflammatory, Capsaicin, Menthol, 1,8-Cineole, Cooling Agents, Fragrance Ingredients.

Technical Intelligence

1. Core Technology / Process

• Supersynergy Mechanism: The study identifies non-additive synergistic interactions among capsaicin (TRPV1 agonist), menthol (TRPM8 agonist), and 1,8-cineole (TRPA1 agonist), amplifying their modulation of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels beyond individual effects.
• Testing Model: Utilised cellular models to quantify inflammatory marker inhibition, demonstrating exponential efficacy gains from combined low-dose exposures.
• Dose Optimisation: Enables use at trace concentrations (e.g., ppm levels) where sensory impact is minimal but biological activity is maximised.

2. Key Ingredients / Specifications

• Primary Actives:
  • Capsaicin: Heat-inducing trigeminactive, TRPV1 channel activator.
  • Menthol: Cooling agent, TRPM8 channel agonist.
  • 1,8-Cineole (Eucalyptol): Pungent/minty profile, TRPA1 modulator.
  • Synergy Profile: Ternary combination yields the highest potentiation, with binary pairs showing moderate enhancement.
  • Purity/Grade: Standard food/fragrance-grade materials used, compatible with oral care, beverages, and topicals.

3. Performance Data

• Efficacy Boost: Up to 700x increase in anti-inflammatory potency for the capsaicin-menthol-1,8-cineole triad versus single agents.
• Inflammatory Marker Reduction: Significant suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators in relevant cellular assays.
• Dose Efficiency: Therapeutic effects achievable at levels that avoid sensory overload or bitterness, unlike high-dose bioactives.

4. Market / Sustainability

• Applications: Oral care (toothpastes, mouthwashes), beverages, functional foods, skincare, and fine fragrances seeking dual sensory-functional benefits.
• Regulatory Fit: Leverages GRAS/FEMA-approved ingredients, facilitating clean-label multifunctional claims.
• Innovation Potential: Repurposes commodity trigeminactives as premium bioactives, potentially expanding market value in anti-inflammatory personal care and nutraceuticals.

Entity & Keyword Index

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