Propionic acid
Propionic acid Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.
Sodium propionate is the sodium salt of propionic acid that exists as colorless, transparent crystals or a granular crystalline powder. It is considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS) food ingredient by FDA, where it acts as an antimicrobial agent for food preservation and flavoring agent. Its use as a food additive is also approved in Europe. Sodium propionate is is prepared by neutralizing propionic acid with sodium hydroxide. Sodium propionate was previously approved in Canada as an active ingredient in Amino-Cerv (used to treat inflammation or injury of the cervix).
As a naturally occurring carboxylic acid, propionic acid typically undergoes metabolism via conversion to propionyl coenzyme A (propionyl-CoA), which is part of the usual metabolic pathway that carboxylic acids participate within in the human body . Most of propionic acid's antibacterial and preservative activities subsequently stem from this metabolic pathway as the metabolic fate of propionates varies in different microorganisms, resulting in antimicrobial mechanisms of action that may revolve around differing propionate metabolites causing competition, inhibition, and/or interference effects along other metabolic pathways in the various microorganisms affected .
In the human body, however, propionic acid is generally metabolized with little ill effect and ultimately becomes a chemical intermediate in the citric acid cycle .
| Trade Name | Propionic acid |
| Generic | Propanoic acid |
| Propanoic acid Other Names | Propionic acid |
| Type | |
| Formula | C3H6O2 |
| Weight | Average: 74.0785 Monoisotopic: 74.036779436 |
| Protein binding | Readily accessible data regarding the protein binding of propionic acid is not available. |
| Groups | Approved, Vet approved |
| Therapeutic Class | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Available Country | |
| Last Updated: | September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am |
Uses
Propionic acid is an antimicrobial food additive.
Propionic acid and various direct sodium or calcium salt formulations of the acid are currently most commonly approved and indicated by organizations like the FDA and EMA for use as an antibacterial food additive preservative in animal feed and food for human consumption .
Similarly, although the use of propanoic acid or any of its direct sodium or calcium salt formulations as excipient ingredients in pharmaceuticals is not necessarily a major role for the compound today, sodium propionate was used in some vaginal cream preparations indicated for cervicitis, cervical tears, and/or postcauterization, postcryosurgery, and postconization of the cervix . In such products, the sodium propionate was primarily used to elicit a preservative, bacteriostatic effect while other active ingredients combined in the formulation like urea, benzalkonium chloride, inositol, and methionine and cystine amino acids facilitated debridement, enhanced medication spread, epithelialization promotion, and wound healing, respectively .
Nevertheless, a great variety of propionic acid derivatives exist as separate pharmaceuticals, each with their own unique therapeutic categories, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics.
How Propionic acid works
The metabolic fate of propionates varies in different microorganisms . Some have enzyme systems that can convert succinate to propionyl-coenzyme A and through various further steps to propionate, CO2, or propionyl phoshpate . Still others can convert propionic acid to B-alanine or directly to CO2 . Whatever the case, the inhibiting effect for microbials is likely related to competition with acetate in the acetokinase system, to the blockage of pyruvate conversion to acetyl-coenzyme A and to interference with B-alanine in pantothenic acid syntheses .
Moreover, other studies suggest the antimicrobial activity of propionic acid revolves around its ability to reduce the pH of its immediate environment to levels of acidity that are harmful to pathogenic microbes as well as its ability to dissociate such that its lipid soluble undissociated form is capable of entering microbial cells . Additionally, there are also studies that suggest that propionic acid's antifungal activity may be the result of propionyl-CoA inhibiting glucose metabolism in certain species of fungus via the accumulation of the CoA-derivative .
Toxicity
As a compound that is typically found naturally in the body, little to no adverse cumulative health effects have been associated with exposure to propionic acid . Medical reports of acute exposures of workers to propionic acid show mild to moderate skin burns, mild eye redness, and one case of a mild cough and asthmatic response .
Food Interaction
No interactions found.Volume of Distribution
Three days after a single oral administration of labeled sodium propionate, 77% of the radioactivity was found in expired air, and 7% in urine and feces . The radioactivity found in skin, liver, intestine, and adipose tissue was 3.9, 1.1, 0.9, and 0.7%, respectively .
Readily accessible data regarding the volume of distribution of propionic acid is not available.
Elimination Route
Some propionic acid is oxidized to lactic acid during absorption, but most passes to the liver, which removes nearly all of it from the portal blood . Propionic acid represents 20-25% of absorbed volatile fatty acids .
Propionic acid is rapidly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract .
Half Life
The half-life of iv sodium propionate administered in the sheep animal model is about 6.9 +/- 0.4 minutes .
Clearance
Readily accessible data regarding the clearance of propionic acid is not available.
Elimination Route
Most absorbed propionic acid is passed to the liver, which removes nearly all of it from the portal blood .
Three days after a single oral administration of labeled sodium propionate, 77% of the radioactivity was found in expired air, and 7% in urine and feces .
Innovators Monograph
You find simplified version here Propionic acid
