Where bananas come in, Mogil said, is chemical makeup. The compound pentyl acetate, found in late-pregnant and lactating female mice's urine, has a similar chemical structure to isoamyl acetate.

It turns out, the fruit’s odor originates from a compound called n-pentyl acetate. And that same compound is also found in the urine of pregnant or lactating mice.

It turns out, the fruit’s odor originates from a compound called n-pentyl acetate. And that same compound is also found in the urine of pregnant or lactating mice.

Measured over time, the researchers learned that pain resistance in the male mice developed as quickly as five minutes after they smelled n-pentyl acetate, and abated 60 minutes after smelling it.

Pentyl ethanoate does not lose its ester group to become a four-carbon alcohol. C. Ethanoic acid, two equivalents, incorrect. Hydrolysis of an ester forms carboxylic acid and alcohol.