scholarly journals Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Octyl Palmitate, Cetyl Palmitate and Isopropyl Palmitate

1990 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-35 ◽  

The Palmitates used in cosmetic products are esters of palmitic acid and octyl, cetyl, or isopropyl alcohol. The acute oral LD50 is estimated from studies with rats to be greater than 14.4 g/kg for Cetyl Palmitate and greater than 64.0 g/kg for Octyl and Isopropyl Palmitates. Acute studies with rabbits showed no evidence of dermal toxicity for any of the Palmitates. Isopropyl Palmitate was “well tolerated” and Octyl Palmitate was nontoxic in separate subchronic dermal studies. Rabbit skin tests with the Palmitates showed that they are nonirritating and nonsensitizing. Also, Draize rabbit eye irritation tests on the Palmitates produced either no or only very slight ocular irritation. One of three formulations containing Octyl Palmitate at concentrations between 40% and 50% produced mild irritation. Formulations containing Cetyl Palmitate at concentration of 2.7% were minimally irritating and produced no signs of sensitization, phototoxicity, or photo contact allergenicity. A formulation containing 45.6% Isopropyl Palmitate produced no signs of irritation, sensitization, phototoxicity, or photo contact allergenicity. From the available information, it is concluded that Octyl Palmitate, Cetyl Palmitate, and Isopropyl Palmitate are safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use and concentration.

1983 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 101-124 ◽  

Propylene Glycol Stearates (PGS) are a mixture of the mono- and diesters of triple-pressed stearic acid and propylene glycol and are used in a wide variety of cosmetic products. Studies with 14C-labeled PGS show that it is readily metabolized following ingestion. In rats, the acute oral LD50 has been shown to be approximately 25.8 g/kg. The raw ingredient produced no significant dermal toxicity, skin irritation, or eye irritation in acute tests with rabbits. Subchronic animal studies produced no evidence of oral or dermal toxicity. Propylene glycol monostea-rate was negative in in vitro microbial assays for mutagenicity. In clinical studies, PGS produced no significant skin irritation at concentrations up to 55% nor skin sensitization on formulations containing 2.5%. Photo-contact allergenicity tests on product formulations containing 1.5% PGS were negative. From the available information, it is concluded that Propylene Glycol Stearates are safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use.


1990 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-107 ◽  

Cetyl Lactate and Myristyl Lactate are the esters of lactic acid and either cetyl or myristyl alcohol. They are used in a wide variety of cosmetic products up to a maximum concentration of 25%. The acute oral LD50 of Cetyl Lactate is estimated from studies with rats to be greater than 20 g/kg. Cetyl Lactate was shown to be minimally irritating to rabbit skin and nonirritating or only slightly irritating to rabbit eyes in Draize irritation tests. At 25%, Cetyl Lactate produced no signs of toxicity or irritation in a 30-day rabbit-skin irritation study. Cetyl Lactate was found to be minimally irritating and nonsensitizing to human skin at concentrations up to 5%. The acute oral LD50 of Myristyl Lactate is estimated from studies with rats to be greater than 20 g/kg. Myristyl Lactate was shown to be minimally irritating in Draize primary skin irritation tests, but one contradictory study concluded that undiluted Myristyl Lactate produced moderate irritation. It produced no signs of ocular irritation in Draize rabbit eye irritation tests. Mild irritation was elicited by a formulation in a modified Draize rabbit skin irritation test. The same formulation was found to be nonirritating and nonsensitizing in a human repeated insult patch study. Based on the available information, it is concluded that Cetyl Lactate and Myristyl Lactate are safe in the present practices of use.


1983 ◽  
Vol 2 (7) ◽  
pp. 35-60 ◽  

Nonoxynols are chemically stable ethoxylated alkylphenols which are chemically foaming and solubilizing agents. Estimates of the acute oral LD50s of nine of the Nonoxynols (-2 to 15) range from 0.62 to 7.4 g/kg in several animal species. Acute dermal toxicity studies in rabbits produced an LD50 range of 1.8 ml/kg to 4.4 g/kg. Skin irritation tests on rabbits indicated that Nonoxynols are nonirritating to moderately irritating. Nonoxynol compounds with short ethoxylated chains are generally severe ocular irritants, whereas long-chained Nonoxynols are only slightly irritating to the rabbit eye. No evidence of carcinogenicity was observed when Nonoxynol-4 and 9 were fed to both dogs and rats. A mutagenicity study of these two compounds by the Ames test was negative. Undiluted Nonoxynol-4 and 9 were nonirritating and nonsensitizing in clinical studies. A 50% solution of Nonoxynol-15 and/or Nonoxynol-50 produced no irritation or sensitization when tested on 168 subjects, nor was there evidence of phototoxicity when tested on a subset of this population. It is concluded that Nonoxynols 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 30, 40, and 50 are safe as cosmetic ingredients.


1990 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-141 ◽  

The Carbomers are synthetic, high molecular weight, nonlinear polymers of acrylic acid, cross-linked with a polyalkenyl polyether. The Carbomer polymers are used in cosmetics and emulsifying agents at concentrations up to 50%. Acute oral animal studies showed that Carbomers-910, -934, -934P, -940, and -941 have low toxicities when ingested. Rabbits showed minimal skin irritation and zero to moderate eye irritation when tested with Carbomers-910 and -934. Subchronic feeding of rats and dogs with Carbomer-934 in the diet resulted in lower than normal body weights, but no pathological changes were observed. Dogs chronically fed Carbomer-934P manifested gastrointestinal irritation and marked pigment deposition within Kupffer cells of the liver. Clinical studies with Carbomers showed that these polymers have low potential for skin irritation and sensitization at concentrations up to 100%. Carbomer-934 demonstrated low potential for phototoxicity and photo-contact allergenicity. On the basis of the available information presented and as qualified in the report, it is concluded that the Carbomers are safe as cosmetic ingredients.


1985 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 107-146 ◽  

The 7 Stearates described in this report are either oily liquids or waxy solids that are primarily used in cosmetics as skin emollients at concentrations up to 25 percent. The toxicology of the Stearates has been assessed in a number of animal studies. They have low acute oral toxicity and are essentially nonirritating to the rabbit eye when tested at and above use concentration. At cosmetic use concentrations the Stearates are, at most, minimally irritating to rabbit skin. In clinical studies the Stearates and cosmetic products containing them were at most minimally to mildly irritating to the human skin, essentially nonsensitizing, nonphototoxic and nonphotosensitizing. Comedogenicity is a potential health effect that should be considered when the Stearate ingredients are used in cosmetic formulations. On the basis of the information in this report, it is concluded that Butyl, Cetyl, Isobutyl, Isocetyl, Isopropyl, Myristyl, and Octyl Stearate are safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use.


1995 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 428-432

Dimethyl Stearamine is a tertiary aliphatic amine that is used as an antistatic agent in cosmetics at concentrations up to 5%. Bacterial studies suggest antibacterial action at concentrations as low as 3.6 moles per 106. Mutagenicity testing was negative, even though the ingredient can act as a biocide. Additional safety test data are needed, including concentration of use, impurities, inhalation toxicity (or information on particle size), ocular irritation, dermal irritation and sensitization, and a 28-day dermal toxicity study (possibly followed by absorption, distribution, and metabolism studies). Additionally, if significantly absorbed, reproduction and developmental toxicity (including teratogenicity) data and two genotoxicity assays, one using a mammalian system, are needed. If the mutagenesis data are positive, then a dermal carcinogenesis study may be needed. In the absence of this further information, the available data are insufficient to support the safety of Dimethyl Stearamine in cosmetics.


1982 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 103-118 ◽  

Polybutenes are the isotactic polymers of isobutene and n-butene. Polybutenes provide viscosity or emulsifiability to more than 80 cosmetic products in concentrations up to 50%. The results of acute oral and percutaneous toxicity tests of Polybutenes show these materials to be relatively harmless. Acute skin irritation tests on rabbits showed no or mild irritation. Other test results indicate that Polybutenes are not toxic: (a) there were no observable effects in rats after inhalation at concentrations up to 18.5 mg/l of air; (b) there was only mild, transient eye irritation in rabbits; (c) intravaginal application of concentrated Polybutene daily for 30 days produced no observable effect in rabbits. Chronic oral toxicity in rats fed up to 20,000 ppm for three successive generations showed no impairment in reproduction. The available human clinical data indicated only very mild effects. Skin tests for sensitization, irritancy, phototoxicity, and photosensitization were limited to cosmetic formulations. On the basis of the available information, it was concluded that Polybutenes are safe as presently used in cosmetics.


1992 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-155 ◽  

Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate is the sodium salt of a mixture of cetyl and stearyl sulfate which is used as a surfactant and cleansing agent in cosmetics at concentrations ranging from ≥ 0.1 to 25.0%. The LD50 was not achieved in two studies in which rats received a single oral dose of 5.0 ml/kg. In ocular irritation tests, 20.0% aqueous Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate was not irritating to the eyes of rabbits. Twenty percent Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate was not irritating to the skin of rabbits. In a guinea pig sensitization study, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate was not a sensitizer. Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate is less irritating to the skin than Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, whose safety test data are summarized in the report. Due to the chemical similarity of these two cosmetic ingredients, the safety test data on Sodium Lauryl Sulfate was considered to be applicable to the safety evaluation of this ingredient. On the basis of the animal and clinical data on Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate as presented in the report, it is concluded that Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate is safe as a cosmetic ingredient in the present practices of use and concentration.


1990 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-142 ◽  

Cocoamphoacetate (CAA), Cocoamphopropionate (CAP), Cocoamphodiacetate (CADA), and Cocoamphodipropionate (CADP) are imidazoline-derived amphoteric organic compounds. These amphoteric compounds are used in cosmetics as surfactants, mild foaming and cleansing agents, detoxifying agents, and conditioners at concentrations ranging from ≤ 0.1 to 50 percent. In acute oral toxicity studies, CADA and CAA were nontoxic in rats and mice, CADP was nontoxic in rats, and CAP was nontoxic in mice. An oral LD50 of 7.8 ml/kg was reported for mice dosed with 70% CADP. The results of ocular irritation studies of these compounds, as commercially supplied, varied widely. CADA was moderately to severely irritating when eyes were not rinsed and practically nonirritating to mildly irritating when rinsed. CADP was practically nonirritating under unrinsed conditions. CAA was minimally to severely irritating and CAP was practically nonirritating to minimally irritating under unrinsed conditions. In a clinical ocular study, 1,3, and 10% dilutions of a shampoo containing 28.1% CADA were nonirritating to the human eye. CAP, CADA, and CADP were nonmutagenic in the Ames assay, both with and without metabolic activation. CAA and CAP, at a concentration of 10%, were neither irritants nor sensitizers in a repeated insult patch test on 141 subjects. Based upon the available data, it is concluded that CAA, CAP, CADA, and CADP are safe for use as cosmetic ingredients.


1983 ◽  
Vol 2 (7) ◽  
pp. 75-86 ◽  

Potassium and TEA-Coco-Hydrolyzed Animal Proteins (PCHAP and TEA-CHAP) are salts of the condensation product of coconut acid and hydrolyzed animal protein. They are used in cosmetic products as detergents, foamers, and levelers. Acute oral toxicity studies showed that both PCHAP and TEA-CHAP were practically nontoxic when ingested. Both ingredients at concentrations of 10%-100% were practically nonirritating to moderately irritating when instilled in the eyes of rabbits. Both were nonirritating to mildly irritating when applied at concentrations of 10%-50% to the skin of rabbits. Guinea pig sensitization studies with both PCHAP and TEA-CHAP were negative. PCHAP and TEA-CHAP, at concentrations of 2% 10% were nonirritating to practically nonirritating in humans. In a repeated insult patch test, PCHAP gave a positive sensitization reaction in two of 168 subjects; two additional subjects showed cumulative irritation and one other was reported to have a nonspecific irritation. One subject out of 28 tested did not demonstrate significant irritation or sensitivity to either PCHAP or TEA-CHAP, but was photosensitized to both ingredients. On the basis of the available information, the Panel concludes that Potas-sium-Coco-Hydrolyzed Animal Protein and TEA-Coco-Hydrolyzed Animal Protein are safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use as recorded in this report.


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