Fig. 2

Topically applied menthol (ME) attenuates acute cerebral infarction and ameliorates ischemia-induced sensorimotor deficits. A TTC staining of cerebral infarction volume in the water controls, ethanol (vehicle)-treated mice, mice administered ME (8% or 16%) to the paws, mice administered ME (16%) to the back, and mice administered oral ME (200 mg/kg). Scale = 5 mm. B Infarct volumes (mm³) in ischemic brain tissue after 1 week of MCAO in the water controls,  ethanol-treated mice, and mice administered ME. C Representative IHC staining of TRPM8 expression in the skin from the back and paw. Scale = 50 µm. D Postischemic behavioral outcomes in the rotarod test. E, F Postischemic behavioral outcomes in the adhesive removal test: sense time (E) and latency-to-removal time (F). All data are expressed as the means ± S.E.M. *p < 0.05 vs water; ^&p < 0.05 vs ethanol; ^#p < 0.05 vs ME 16% alone. The Mann–Whitney U test was used only to compare levels of TRPM8 expression between skin samples from the paws and backs of 4 mice. In each bar in B–F, the number of individuals of each group was shown within parentheses, and the symbols indicate the data of mice used in each study group