Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Carbomers-934, -910, -934P, -940, -941, and -962

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.

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. 1-11 ◽  

Glycol Stearate, Glycol Stearate SE, and Glycol Distearate consist primarily of the mono- and diesters of triple-pressed stearic acid. They are used in numerous categories of cosmetic products at concentrations ranging from less than 0.1 to 10%. Animal data for acute oral toxicity, skin and eye irritation, and sensitization show that these ingredients have low acute toxicity. A repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects presented no evidence of skin irritation or hypersensitivity. Human studies using formulations containing Glycol Stearate at levels of 2-5% reported no skin irritation or sensitization. Subchronic testing has not been adequately investigated in laboratory animals. Human test data for formulations containing > 4% Glycol Stearate or Glycol Distearate should be considered. Based on the available information presented herein, it is concluded that Glycol Stearate, Glycol Stearate SE, and Glycol Distearate are safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use and concentration.


1998 ◽  
Vol 17 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 95-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bindu Nair

Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is a linear polymer of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone monomers used as a binder, emulsion stabilizer, film former, hair fixative, and suspending agent-nonsurfactant. The molecular weight of the polymer ranges from 10,000 to 700,000. PVP K-30, with an average molecular weight of 40,000, is typically used in cosmetic formulations. The highest concentration reported to be used is 35%. There was no significant absorption of PVP K-30 given orally to rats, and the acute oral LD50 was >100 g/kg for rats and guinea pigs. Neither toxic effects nor gross lesions were found in rats maintained for two years on a diet containing 10% PVP K-30. Short-term PVP inhalation studies produced mild lymphoid hyperplasia and fibroplasia in rats, but no inflammatory response. In animal studies, no evidence of significant ocular irritation, skin irritation, or skin sensitization was found at PVP-iodine solution concentrations of 10%. While PVP-iodine is not a cosmetic ingredient, these negative findings were considered to support the safety of the PVP component. Undiluted PVP K-30 was not a dermal irritant or sensitizer in clinical tests. No developmental toxicity was seen in vehicle controls where PVP was used as a vehicle for another agent. In certain assay systems, PVP was genotoxic, but was negative in the majority of studies. Orally administered PVP significantly decreased the rate of bladder tumors in mice exposed to bracken fern. Several studies tested the carcinogenicity of subcutaneous implants of particulate PVP in rats, mice, and rabbits. Although the majority of these studies conducted in rats were positive, tumors (sarcomas) were localized to the site of implantation. Based on the available data, it was concluded that PVP is safe as used in cosmetics.


1983 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 161-178 ◽  

Polyquaternium-11 is a quaternized copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and di-methylamine ethylmethacrylate, and is used at concentrations up to 50% in a variety of hair care preparations. The acute oral LD50 in test animals of high molecular weight Polyqua-ternium-11 is estimated to be greater than 12.8 g/kg; the LD50 for the low molecular weight polymer is calculated to be 6.2 g/kg. At concentrations of up to 50% in water, the raw ingredient produced no signs of skin or eye irritation. There was no evidence of dermal toxicity in subchronic tests nor in a maximization test for sensitization. In clinical studies, 1 of 19 subjects showed slight skin irritation after a 24-hour single insult skin patch with 9.5% Polyquaternium-11 in water. Repeated insult patch tests at concentrations up to 50% produced no instances of skin sensitization and only isolated instances of transient skin irritation. Clinical photoreactivity studies on both low and high molecular weight polymers showed no evidence of phototoxicity or photoallergenicity. From the available information, it is concluded that Polyquaternium-11 is safe as a cosmetic ingredient in the present practices of use.


1987 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-120 ◽  

Toluene has a wide variety of noncosmetic applications. However, the cosmetic use is limited to nail products at concentrations up to 50%. Toluene was practically nontoxic when given orally to rats; acute oral LD50 values ranged from 2.6 g/kg to 7.5 g/kg. Results of animal studies indicated that undiluted Toluene is a skin irritant. No skin irritation or sensitization was observed in subjects treated with cosmetic products containing 31-33% Toluene. No phototoxic or photoallergic reactions were noted in subjects treated with 25% or 30% Toluene. The sole cosmetic use of Toluene is in products intended to be applied directly to the nail; therefore, human skin exposure to this ingredient will be minimal under conditions of cosmetic use. On the basis of the available data and the limited user skin exposure from cosmetic products containing Toluene, it is concluded that this ingredient is safe for cosmetic use at the present practices of use and concentration.


1983 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 125-140 ◽  

Vinyl Acetate/Crotonic Acid (VA/CA) Copolymer is a polymer formed from vinyl acetate and crotonic acid monomers. VA/CA Copolymer is primarily used as a film forming agent in aerosol hair sprays and other hair preparations. An aqueous solution containing 3.7% VA/CA Copolymer and a hair spray containing 13.75% of the ingredient were relatively harmless when administered to rats in single oral doses of up to 50 ml/kg and 5 g/kg, respectively. These same test materials elicited no skin irritation in rabbits and minimal, transient eye irritation. Hair spray formulations containing 0.86% of the copolymer caused no skin irritation or sensitization when tested in a repeated insult patch test on humans. On the basis of the available information, Vinyl Acetate/Crotonic Acid Copolymer is considered safe as a cosmetic ingredient under present practices of product and concentration 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.


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.


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.


1983 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-34 ◽  

Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Ammonium Laureth Sulfate are used in cosmetic products as cleansing agents, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and solubilizers. The ingredients have been shown to produce eye and/or skin irritation in experimental animals and in some human test subjects; irritation may occur in some users of cosmetic formulations containing the ingredients under consideration. The irritant effects are similar to those produced by other detergents, and the severity of the irritation appears to increase directly with concentration. However, Sodium and Ammonium Laureth Sulfate have not evoked adverse responses in any other toxicological testing. On the basis of available information, the Panel concludes that Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Ammonium Laureth Sulfate are safe as presently used in cosmetic products.


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