Cetyl alcohol
Cetyl alcohol Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.
Cetyl alcohol, also known as 1-hexadecanol or n-hexadecyl alcohol, is a 16-C fatty alcohol with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)15OH. It can be produced from the reduction of palmitic acid. Cetyl alcohol is present in a waxy white powder or flake form at room temperature, and is insoluble in water and soluble in alcohols and oils . Discovered by Chevrenl in 1913, cetyl alcohol is one of the oldest known long-chain alcohol . It may be contained in cosmetic and personal care products such as shampoos, creams and lotions. Mainly it is used as an opacifier, emulsifier, and thickening agent that alter the thickness of the liquid, and increase and stabilize the foaming capacity. Due to its water-binding property, cetyl alcohol is commonly used as an emollient that prevents drying and chapping of the skin . According to the FDA Code of Federal Regulations, cetyl alcohol is a safe synthetic fatty acid in food and in the synthesis of food components under the condition that it contain not less than 98 percent of total alcohols and not less than 94 percent of straight chain alcohols . Cetyl alcohol is also listed in the OTC ingredient list as a skin protectant for skin irritations caused by poison ivy, oak, sumac, and insect bites or stings . Cetyl alcohol is reported to be a mild skin or eye irritant.
Cetyl alcohol exhibits skin protect properties against skin irritations caused by bites, rashes and stings. The inhibitory action of cetyl alcohol against the growth of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycopiasma pneumoniae has been reported .
| Trade Name | Cetyl alcohol |
| Generic | Cetyl alcohol |
| Cetyl alcohol Other Names | palmityl alcohol |
| Type | |
| Formula | C16H34O |
| Weight | Average: 242.4406 Monoisotopic: 242.26096571 |
| Groups | Approved |
| Therapeutic Class | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Available Country | |
| Last Updated: | September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am |
Uses
No therapeutic indications in medicinal products. Indicated to be used as an indirect additive in food contact substances, or an ingredient in commercial or cosmetic products.
Cetyl alcohol is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Dry, itchy skin
How Cetyl alcohol works
Cetyl alcohol has hydrating properties that makes it a suitable emulsifier and stabilizer in pharmaceutical formulations. It is also present in washable ointment base due to its dispersant abilities and stabilizing properties . Potential antimicrobial activity of cetyl alcohol may be due to a change in cell membrane permeability that either blocks absorption of essential nutrients and induction of outward diffusion vital cellular components . This proposed mechanism of action is thought to be similar for other long-chain aliphatic alcohols with same antimicrobial activity, such as myristyl alcohol and behenyl alcohol .
Toxicity
Acute oral LD50 in mouse is 3200 mg/kg and acute dermal LD50 is >2600 mg/kg in rabbit . It is considered to be slightly toxic in humans in case of oral ingestion at doses of 5 g/kg and greater . In a rat study, the effects of toxicity were mainly in the central nervous system (CNS) leading to CNS depression and difficulty in respiration after 7-14 days post-administration via stomach tube . In a subchronic dermal toxicity study of rabbits, topical application of 11.5 % cetyl alcohol was associated with histological findings of keratosis, hyperkeratosis, and papillary projections of the epidermis, all of which are features of exfoliative dermatitis . However it is concluded that there is no evidence of major skin irritation and systemic toxicity of cetyl alcohol. Inhalation of 26 ppm cetyl alcohol vapors in animals caused slight irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory passages . Cetyl Alcohol was not mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium LT2 mutant strains in the spot test .
Food Interaction
No interactions found.Elimination Route
Following ingestion at a dose level of 2.0 g/kg in rats, cetyl alcohol was partly absorbed . Administration of 0.2 mg cetyl alcohol in rat by stomach tube indicated good absorption as 63-96 % of radiolabeled cetyl alcohol was detected in the lymph . About 15% of total cetyl alcohol was unchanged during its passage through the mucosal cells of the small intestine but mostly underwent oxidation to palmitic acid . The extent of absorption was reported to be 26% in poultry .
Elimination Route
Following ingestion at a dose level of 2.0 g/kg in rats, about 20% of the dose was recovered as unchanged molecule in the feces . This may be due to the interconvertibility of fatty acids and alcohols, resulting in the conversion of palmitic acid to cetyl alcohol during its passage through the intestinal mucosal cells into the intestinal lumen . In rats, cetyl Alcohol was also excreted in the urine as conjugated glucuronic acid and as expired carbon dioxide .
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