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PloS One 2018Systematic review of research examining consumer preference for the main electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) attributes namely flavor, nicotine strength, and type. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Systematic review of research examining consumer preference for the main electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) attributes namely flavor, nicotine strength, and type.
METHOD
A systematic search of peer-reviewed articles resulted in a pool of 12,933 articles. We included only articles that meet all the selection criteria: (1) peer-reviewed, (2) written in English, and (3) addressed consumer preference for one or more of the e-cigarette attributes including flavor, strength, and type.
RESULTS
66 articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. Consumers preferred flavored e-cigarettes, and such preference varied with age groups and smoking status. We also found that several flavors were associated with decreased harm perception while tobacco flavor was associated with increased harm perception. In addition, some flavor chemicals and sweeteners used in e-cigarettes could be of toxicological concern. Finally, consumer preference for nicotine strength and types depended on smoking status, e-cigarette use history, and gender.
CONCLUSION
Adolescents could consider flavor the most important factor trying e-cigarettes and were more likely to initiate vaping through flavored e-cigarettes. Young adults overall preferred sweet, menthol, and cherry flavors, while non-smokers in particular preferred coffee and menthol flavors. Adults in general also preferred sweet flavors (though smokers like tobacco flavor the most) and disliked flavors that elicit bitterness or harshness. In terms of whether flavored e-cigarettes assisted quitting smoking, we found inconclusive evidence. E-cigarette users likely initiated use with a cigarette like product and transitioned to an advanced system with more features. Non-smokers and inexperienced e-cigarettes users tended to prefer no nicotine or low nicotine e-cigarettes while smokers and experienced e-cigarettes users preferred medium and high nicotine e-cigarettes. Weak evidence exists regarding a positive interaction between menthol flavor and nicotine strength.
Topics: Age Factors; Consumer Behavior; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Flavoring Agents; Humans; Nicotine; Sex Factors; Sweetening Agents; Taste Perception
PubMed: 29543907
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194145 -
International Journal of Environmental... Mar 2017Although a few countries have banned flavored cigarettes (except menthol), flavors in most tobacco products remain unregulated across the globe. We conducted a... (Review)
Review
Although a few countries have banned flavored cigarettes (except menthol), flavors in most tobacco products remain unregulated across the globe. We conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies examining perceptions of and experiences with flavored non-menthol tobacco products. Of 20 studies on flavored tobacco products included in our qualitative systematic review, 10 examined hookah, six examined e-cigarettes, two examined little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs), and three examined other tobacco products, including cigarettes. The majority of studies, regardless of product type, reported positive perceptions of flavored tobacco products, particularly among young adults and adolescents. In six studies that assessed perceptions of harm (including hookah, LCCs, and other flavored tobacco products), participants believed flavored tobacco products to be less harmful than cigarettes. In studies that examined the role of flavors in experimentation and/or initiation (including three studies on e-cigarettes, one hookah study and one LCC study), participants mentioned flavors as specifically leading to their experimentation and/or initiation of flavored tobacco products. Given that many countries have not yet banned flavors in tobacco products, these findings add to existing research on why individuals use flavored tobacco products and how they perceive harm in flavored tobacco products, providing further support for banning non-menthol flavors in most tobacco products.
Topics: Flavoring Agents; Humans; Menthol; Qualitative Research; Smoking; Surveys and Questionnaires; Taste; Tobacco Products
PubMed: 28333107
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14040338 -
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention,... Aug 2021The potential impact of menthol versus non-menthol cigarette use on smoking behaviors is an intensely scrutinized topic in the public health arena. To date, several... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Assessing the evidence on the differential impact of menthol versus non-menthol cigarette use on smoking cessation in the U.S. population: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
The potential impact of menthol versus non-menthol cigarette use on smoking behaviors is an intensely scrutinized topic in the public health arena. To date, several general literature reviews have been conducted, but findings and conclusions have been discordant. This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines to examine the Key Question, "Does menthol cigarette use have a differential impact on smoking cessation compared with non-menthol cigarette use?"
METHODS
Six databases-Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, MEDLINE, Embase and PsycInfo-were queried from inception to June 12, 2020. Articles comparing menthol versus non-menthol cigarette smokers in terms of at least one predefined smoking cessation outcome were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Evidence-Based Practice Center approach. A random-effects model utilizing the DerSimonian and Laird method to pool adjusted odds ratio was applied. Variations among pooled studies were assessed using Cochran's Q statistic, and heterogeneity was quantified using the inconsistency index (I).
RESULTS
Forty-three demographically adjusted studies (22 rated "good", 20 rated "fair", and one study rated "poor" individual study quality) comparing menthol and non-menthol smokers were qualitatively synthesized across the following measures (study count; strength of evidence): duration of abstinence (2; low); quit attempts (15; insufficient); rate of abstinence/quitting (29; moderate); change in smoking quantity/frequency (5; insufficient); and, return to smoking/relapse (2; insufficient). Overall, the qualitative synthesis failed to show a consistent trend for an association between menthol cigarette use and smoking cessation across outcomes. Meta-analyses found no difference between menthol and non-menthol cigarette use and either quit attempts or abstinence.
CONCLUSIONS
Given the lack of consistency or statistical significance in the findings-combined with a "low" overall strength of evidence grade, based on deficiencies of indirectness and inconsistency-no consistent or significant associations between menthol cigarette use and smoking cessation were identified. Recommendations for future studies include increased focus on providing longitudinal, adjusted data collected from standardized outcome measures of cessation to better inform long-term smoking cessation and menthol cigarette use. Such improvements should also be further considered in more methodologically rigorous systematic reviews characterized by objectivity, comprehensiveness, and transparency with the ultimate objective of better informing public health and policy decision making.
Topics: Humans; Menthol; Smoking; Smoking Cessation; Tobacco Products; Tobacco Use Cessation Devices; United States
PubMed: 34380503
DOI: 10.1186/s13011-021-00397-4 -
Clinical and Translational... Oct 2020In randomized controlled trials, L-menthol inhibits gastrointestinal peristalsis during endoscopy. Our goal was to quantitatively synthesize the available evidence to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
In randomized controlled trials, L-menthol inhibits gastrointestinal peristalsis during endoscopy. Our goal was to quantitatively synthesize the available evidence to evaluate the efficacy and safety of L-menthol for gastrointestinal endoscopy.
METHODS
We comprehensively searched for relevant studies published up to January 2020 in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The main outcomes consisted of the proportion of no peristalsis, proportion of no or mild peristalsis, adenoma detection rate, and adverse events.
RESULTS
Eight randomized controlled trials analyzing 1,366 subjects were included. According to the pooled data, L-menthol significantly improved the proportion of no peristalsis (odds ratio [OR] = 6.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.94-8.57, P < 0.00001), and the proportion of no or mild peristalsis (OR = 7.89, 95% CI = 5.03-12.39, P < 0.00001) compared with the placebo, whereas it was not associated with an improvement in the adenoma detection rate (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.54-1.99, P = 0.92). Adverse events did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 0.75-2.59, P = 0.29).
DISCUSSION
The findings of this study support the use of L-menthol to suppress gastrointestinal peristalsis during endoscopic procedure.
Topics: Administration, Topical; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Humans; Menthol; Peristalsis; Preoperative Care; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Spasm; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33031198
DOI: 10.14309/ctg.0000000000000252 -
Tobacco Control Nov 2017This systematic review examines the impact of non-menthol flavours in tobacco products on tobacco use perceptions and behaviours among youth, young adults and adults. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review examines the impact of non-menthol flavours in tobacco products on tobacco use perceptions and behaviours among youth, young adults and adults.
DATA SOURCES
English-language peer-reviewed publications indexed in 4 databases were searched through April 2016.
STUDY SELECTION
A search strategy was developed related to tobacco products and flavours. Of 1688 articles identified, we excluded articles that were not English-language, were not peer-reviewed, were qualitative, assessed menthol-flavoured tobacco products only and did not contain original data on outcomes that assessed the impact of flavours in tobacco products on perceptions and use behaviour.
DATA EXTRACTION
Outcome measures were identified and tabulated. 2 researchers extracted the data independently and used a validated quality assessment tool to assess study quality.
DATA SYNTHESIS
40 studies met the inclusion criteria. Data showed that tobacco product packaging with flavour descriptors tended to be rated as more appealing and as less harmful by tobacco users and non-users. Many tobacco product users, especially adolescents, reported experimenting, initiating and continuing to use flavoured products because of the taste and variety of the flavours. Users of many flavoured tobacco products also showed decreased likelihood of intentions to quit compared with non-flavoured tobacco product users.
CONCLUSIONS
Flavours in most tobacco products appear to play a key role in how users and non-users, especially youth, perceive, initiate, progress and continue using tobacco products. Banning non-menthol flavours from tobacco products may ultimately protect public health by reducing tobacco use, particularly among youth.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Commerce; Flavoring Agents; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Menthol; Smoking; Tobacco Products; Young Adult
PubMed: 27872344
DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053196 -
American Journal of Public Health Sep 2015We systematically reviewed evidence of disparities in tobacco marketing at tobacco retailers by sociodemographic neighborhood characteristics. We identified 43 relevant... (Review)
Review
We systematically reviewed evidence of disparities in tobacco marketing at tobacco retailers by sociodemographic neighborhood characteristics. We identified 43 relevant articles from 893 results of a systematic search in 10 databases updated May 28, 2014. We found 148 associations of marketing (price, placement, promotion, or product availability) with a neighborhood demographic of interest (socioeconomic disadvantage, race, ethnicity, and urbanicity). Neighborhoods with lower income have more tobacco marketing. There is more menthol marketing targeting urban neighborhoods and neighborhoods with more Black residents. Smokeless tobacco products are targeted more toward rural neighborhoods and neighborhoods with more White residents. Differences in store type partially explain these disparities. There are more inducements to start and continue smoking in lower-income neighborhoods and in neighborhoods with more Black residents. Retailer marketing may contribute to disparities in tobacco use. Clinicians should be aware of the pervasiveness of these environmental cues.
Topics: Black or African American; Commerce; Humans; Income; Marketing; Menthol; Residence Characteristics; Small-Area Analysis; Smoking; United States; Urban Population
PubMed: 26180986
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302777 -
Respiratory Research Feb 2023Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) impact all age groups and have a significant economic and social burden on society, worldwide. Most URTIs are mild and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) impact all age groups and have a significant economic and social burden on society, worldwide. Most URTIs are mild and self-limiting, but due to the wide range of possible causative agents, including Rhinovirus (hRV), Adenovirus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Coronavirus and Influenza, there is no single and effective treatment. Over-the-counter (OTC) remedies, including traditional medicines and those containing plant derived substances, help to alleviate symptoms including inflammation, pain, fever and cough.
PURPOSE
This systematic review focuses on the role of the major plant derived substances in several OTC remedies used to treat cold symptoms, with a particular focus on the transient receptor potential (TRP) channels involved in pain and cough.
METHODS
Literature searches were done using Pubmed and Web of Science, with no date limitations, using the principles of the PRISMA statement. The search terms used were 'TRP channel AND plant compound', 'cough AND plant compound', 'cough AND TRP channels AND plant compound', 'cough AND P2X3 AND plant compound' and 'P2X3 AND plant compound' where plant compound represents menthol or camphor or eucalyptus or turpentine or thymol.
RESULTS
The literature reviewed showed that menthol activates TRPM8 and may inhibit respiratory reflexes reducing irritation and cough. Menthol has a bimodal action on TRPA1, but inhibition may have an analgesic effect. Eucalyptus also activates TRPM8 and inhibits TRPA1 whilst down regulating P2X3, aiding in the reduction of cough, pain and airway irritation. Camphor inhibits TRPA1 and the activation of TRPM8 may add to the effects of menthol. Activation of TRPV1 by camphor, may also have an analgesic effect.
CONCLUSIONS
The literature suggests that these plant derived substances have multifaceted actions and can interact with the TRP 'cough' receptors. The plant derived substances used in cough and cold medicines have the potential to target multiple symptoms experienced during a cold.
Topics: Humans; Transient Receptor Potential Channels; Menthol; Camphor; TRPM Cation Channels; TRPA1 Cation Channel; Cough; Pain; Analgesics
PubMed: 36755306
DOI: 10.1186/s12931-023-02347-z -
The role of flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems in smoking cessation: A systematic review.Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports Jun 2023Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) come in numerous flavors and may aid smoking cessation. This systematic review examines evidence on the role of ENDS flavors... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) come in numerous flavors and may aid smoking cessation. This systematic review examines evidence on the role of ENDS flavors in smoking cessation.
METHODS
We searched EMBASE OVID, PsychInfo, and Medline databases for studies that: 1) examined cigarette cessation outcomes for persons using ENDS (intent, attempts, and success) and 2) reported results separated by respondent's ENDS flavor used. We extracted crude and adjusted odds ratios for associations between cessation outcomes and types of ENDS flavors used (nontobacco vs. tobacco/unflavored; nontobacco and nonmenthol vs. tobacco/unflavored and menthol). We did not consider cessation outcomes among people not using ENDS. We evaluated the evidence using the GRADE approach, focusing on consistency and reliability of findings across studies.
RESULTS
29 studies met inclusion criteria, producing 36 odds ratios (ORs) comparing cessation outcomes across ENDS flavor groups. Three ORs examined quit intent, five examined quit attempts, and 28 examined quit success. Using GRADE, we reached Low levels of certainty that there was not an association between ENDS flavor use and intention to quit smoking or making a quit attempt. There were Very Low levels of certainty that nontobacco flavored versus tobacco/unflavored ENDS use was not associated with smoking cessation success, with similar findings for nonmenthol and nontobacco compared to tobacco and menthol flavored ENDS.
CONCLUSION
The evidence about the role of different flavored ENDS use and smoking cessation outcomes is inconclusive, reflecting highly heterogeneous study definitions and methodological limitations. More high-quality evidence, ideally from randomized controlled trials, is required.
PubMed: 37012981
DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100143 -
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Jan 2017
Review
Topics: Anemia, Hemolytic; Asymptomatic Diseases; Food; Food Coloring Agents; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Humans; Menthol; Naphthalenes; Pollen; Prunus persica; Trigonella; Vicia faba
PubMed: 27650490
DOI: 10.1111/bcp.13091 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2022Exercise in a hot and humid environment may endanger athlete's health and affect physical performance. This systematic review aimed to examine whether internal...
Exercise in a hot and humid environment may endanger athlete's health and affect physical performance. This systematic review aimed to examine whether internal administration of ice, cold beverages or menthol solutions may be beneficial for physical performance when exercising in different environmental conditions and sports backgrounds. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and SPORTDiscus databases, from inception to April 2022, to identify studies meeting the following inclusion criteria: healthy male and female physically active individuals or athletes (aged ≥18 years); an intervention consisting in the internal administration (i.e., ingestion or mouth rinse) of ice slush, ice slurry or crushed ice and/or cold beverages and/or menthol solutions before and/or during exercise; a randomized crossover design with a control or placebo condition; the report of at least one physical performance outcome; and to be written in English. Our search retrieved 2,714 articles in total; after selection, 43 studies were considered, including 472 participants, 408 men and 64 women, aged 18-42 years, with a VO ranging from 46.2 to 67.2 mL⋅kg⋅min. Average ambient temperature and relative humidity during the exercise tasks were 32.4 ± 3.5°C (ranging from 22°C to 38°C) and 50.8 ± 13.4% (varying from 20.0% to 80.0%), respectively. Across the 43 studies, 7 exclusively included a menthol solution mouth rinse, 30 exclusively involved ice slurry/ice slush/crushed ice/cold beverages intake, and 6 examined both the effect of thermal and non-thermal internal techniques in the same protocol. Rinsing a menthol solution (0.01%) improved physical performance during continuous endurance exercise in the heat. Conversely, the ingestion of ice or cold beverages did not seem to consistently increase performance, being more likely to improve performance in continuous endurance trials, especially when consumed during exercises. Co-administration of menthol with or within ice beverages seems to exert a synergistic effect by improving physical performance. Even in environmental conditions that are not extreme, internal cooling strategies may have an ergogenic effect. Further studies exploring both intermittent and outdoor exercise protocols, involving elite male and female athletes and performed under not extreme environmental conditions are warranted. [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021268197], identifier [CRD42021268197].
PubMed: 36337635
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.959516