Listerine contains a variety of ingredients, including alcohol, water, and other chemicals. The product has been marketed as a mouthwash for years, but it is also used as a disinfectant and anti-bacterial cleanser. The active ingredient in Listerine is thymol, an organic compound derived from the essential oil found in thyme. It also contains 3 other essential oils, which may account for its other uses: menthol, eucalyptus, and wintergreen. Other ingredients in Listerine are Sorbitol, Sucralose, Sodium Benozate, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Saccharin, and Poloxamer 407. Listerine is an American brand of antiseptic mouthwash that has been around since 1879 and is widely used as a means of keeping mouths and throats free from bad bacteria. The name Listerine was derived from its creator, Joseph Lister, who pioneered antiseptic surgery at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in Scotland.