Identification
- Generic Name
- Cetyl alcohol
- DrugBank Accession Number
- DB09494
- Background
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 1. Discovered by Chevrenl in 1913, cetyl alcohol is one of the oldest known long-chain alcohol 1. 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 1. 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 3. 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 4. Cetyl alcohol is reported to be a mild skin or eye irritant.
- Type
- Small Molecule
- Groups
- Approved
- Structure
Structure for Cetyl alcohol (DB09494)
- Weight
- Average: 242.4406
Monoisotopic: 242.26096571 - Chemical Formula
- C16H34O
- Synonyms
- hexadecan-1-ol
- palmityl alcohol
- External IDs
- FEMA NO. 2554
- NSC-4194
Pharmacology
- Indication
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.
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Indication Type Indication Combined Product Details Approval Level Age Group Patient Characteristics Dose Form Management of Dry, itchy skin ••• ••• - Contraindications & Blackbox Warnings
Prevent Adverse Drug Events TodayTap into our Clinical API for life-saving information on contraindications & blackbox warnings, population restrictions, harmful risks, & more.Avoid life-threatening adverse drug events with our Clinical API- Pharmacodynamics
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 1.
- Mechanism of action
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 1. 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 1. 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 1.
- Absorption
Following ingestion at a dose level of 2.0 g/kg in rats, cetyl alcohol was partly absorbed 2. 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 1. 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 1. The extent of absorption was reported to be 26% in poultry 1.
- Volume of distribution
Not Available
- Protein binding
Not Available
- Metabolism
Following ingestion at a dose level of 2.0 g/kg in rats, cetyl alcohol was partly metabolized to palmitic acid 2. After administration of 0.2 mg cetyl alcohol in rat by stomach tube, cetyl alcohol was mostly oxidized to palmitic acid and incorporated into triglycerides and phospholipids during its passage through the mucosal cells of the small intestine 1.
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- Route of elimination
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 2. 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 1. In rats, cetyl Alcohol was also excreted in the urine as conjugated glucuronic acid and as expired carbon dioxide 1.
- Half-life
Not Available
- Clearance
Not Available
- Adverse Effects
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Acute oral LD50 in mouse is 3200 mg/kg and acute dermal LD50 is >2600 mg/kg in rabbit MSDS. It is considered to be slightly toxic in humans in case of oral ingestion at doses of 5 g/kg and greater 1. 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 1. 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 1. 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 1. Cetyl Alcohol was not mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium LT2 mutant strains in the spot test 1.
- Pathways
- Not Available
- Pharmacogenomic Effects/ADRs Browse all" title="About SNP Mediated Effects/ADRs" id="snp-actions-info" class="drug-info-popup" href="javascript:void(0);">
- Not Available
Interactions
- Drug Interactions Learn More" title="About Drug Interactions" id="structured-interactions-info" class="drug-info-popup" href="javascript:void(0);">
- This information should not be interpreted without the help of a healthcare provider. If you believe you are experiencing an interaction, contact a healthcare provider immediately. The absence of an interaction does not necessarily mean no interactions exist.
Drug Interaction Integrate drug-drug
interactions in your softwareTenofovir alafenamide The serum concentration of Tenofovir alafenamide can be increased when it is combined with Cetyl alcohol. - Food Interactions
- No interactions found.
Products
Drug product information from 10+ global regionsOur datasets provide approved product information including:dosage, form, labeller, route of administration, and marketing period.Access drug product information from over 10 global regions.- Over the Counter Products
Name Dosage Strength Route Labeller Marketing Start Marketing End Region Image All Day Skin Relief with Colloidal Oats Lotion 80 mg/100mL Topical Lantern Enterprises Ltd. 2016-05-13 Not applicable US 
All Day Skin Relief with Colloidal Oats Lotion 80 mg/100mL Topical Shanghai Lantern Cosmetic Co 2016-05-16 Not applicable US All Day Skin Relief with Colloidal Oats Lotion 80 mg/100mL Topical Ningbo Liyuan 2016-05-13 2016-05-16 US Daily Moisturizing with Colloidal Oats Lotion 80 mg/100mL Topical Ningbo Liyuan 2016-05-13 2016-05-16 US Daily Moisturizing with Colloidal Oats Lotion 80 mg/100mL Topical Shanghai Lantern Cosmetic Co 2016-05-16 Not applicable US - Unapproved/Other Products
Name Ingredients Dosage Route Labeller Marketing Start Marketing End Region Image All Day Skin Relief with Colloidal Oats Cetyl alcohol (80 mg/100mL) Lotion Topical Lantern Enterprises Ltd. 2016-05-13 Not applicable US All Day Skin Relief with Colloidal Oats Cetyl alcohol (80 mg/100mL) Lotion Topical Shanghai Lantern Cosmetic Co 2016-05-16 Not applicable US All Day Skin Relief with Colloidal Oats Cetyl alcohol (80 mg/100mL) Lotion Topical Ningbo Liyuan 2016-05-13 2016-05-16 US Daily Moisturizing with Colloidal Oats Cetyl alcohol (80 mg/100mL) Lotion Topical Ningbo Liyuan 2016-05-13 2016-05-16 US Daily Moisturizing with Colloidal Oats Cetyl alcohol (80 mg/100mL) Lotion Topical Shanghai Lantern Cosmetic Co 2016-05-16 Not applicable US
Categories
- Drug Categories
- Chemical TaxonomyProvided by Classyfire
- Description
- This compound belongs to the class of organic compounds known as long-chain fatty alcohols. These are fatty alcohols that have an aliphatic tail of 13 to 21 carbon atoms.
- Kingdom
- Organic compounds
- Super Class
- Lipids and lipid-like molecules
- Class
- Fatty Acyls
- Sub Class
- Fatty alcohols
- Direct Parent
- Long-chain fatty alcohols
- Alternative Parents
- Primary alcohols / Hydrocarbon derivatives
- Substituents
- Alcohol / Aliphatic acyclic compound / Hydrocarbon derivative / Long chain fatty alcohol / Organic oxygen compound / Organooxygen compound / Primary alcohol
- Molecular Framework
- Aliphatic acyclic compounds
- External Descriptors
- long-chain primary fatty alcohol, fatty alcohol 16:0 (CHEBI:16125) / Fatty alcohols (C00823) / Fatty alcohols (LMFA05000061) / a small molecule (CPD-348)
- Affected organisms
- Not Available
Chemical Identifiers
- UNII
- 936JST6JCN
- CAS number
- 36653-82-4
- InChI Key
- BXWNKGSJHAJOGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N
- InChI
- InChI=1S/C16H34O/c1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17/h17H,2-16H2,1H3
- IUPAC Name
- hexadecan-1-ol
- SMILES
- CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCO
References
- General References
- Elder RL et al.: Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, lsostearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, and Behenyl Alcohol Journal of the American College of Toxicology. 1988 May 1;7(3):359-413. [Article]
- 1-HEXADECANOL - National Library of Medicine HSDB Database - Toxnet [Link]
- Synthetic Fatty Alcohols - FDA [Link]
- FDA OTC ingredients [Link]
- External Links
- Human Metabolome Database
- HMDB0003424
- PubChem Compound
- 2682
- PubChem Substance
- 347827863
- ChemSpider
- 2581
- 20615
- ChEBI
- 16125
- ChEMBL
- CHEMBL706
- ZINC
- ZINC000008214519
- PDBe Ligand
- PL3
- Wikipedia
- Cetyl_alcohol
- PDB Entries
- 2uuu / 2uuv / 4quw / 4rc5 / 4rc7 / 6jzu / 6jzy / 6jzz
- MSDS
- Download (47.5 KB)
Clinical Trials
- Clinical Trials Learn More" title="About Clinical Trials" id="clinical-trials-info" class="drug-info-popup" href="javascript:void(0);">
Phase Status Purpose Conditions Count
Pharmacoeconomics
- Manufacturers
- Not Available
- Packagers
- Not Available
- Dosage Forms
Form Route Strength Lotion Topical 80 mg/100mL - Prices
- Not Available
- Patents
- Not Available
Properties
- State
- Solid
- Experimental Properties
Property Value Source melting point (°C) 49.3 MSDS boiling point (°C) 344 MSDS water solubility Insoluble Not Available - Predicted Properties
Property Value Source Water Solubility 0.000181 mg/mL ALOGPS logP 7.17 ALOGPS logP 6.14 Chemaxon logS -6.1 ALOGPS pKa (Strongest Acidic) 16.84 Chemaxon pKa (Strongest Basic) -2 Chemaxon Physiological Charge 0 Chemaxon Hydrogen Acceptor Count 1 Chemaxon Hydrogen Donor Count 1 Chemaxon Polar Surface Area 20.23 Å2 Chemaxon Rotatable Bond Count 14 Chemaxon Refractivity 77.35 m3·mol-1 Chemaxon Polarizability 34.38 Å3 Chemaxon Number of Rings 0 Chemaxon Bioavailability 0 Chemaxon Rule of Five No Chemaxon Ghose Filter No Chemaxon Veber's Rule No Chemaxon MDDR-like Rule No Chemaxon - Predicted ADMET Features
- Not Available
Spectra
- Mass Spec (NIST)
- Not Available
- Spectra
- Chromatographic Properties
Collision Cross Sections (CCS)
Adduct CCS Value (Å2) Source type Source [M-H]- 189.0548077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M-H]- 192.5720077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M-H]- 189.3323077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M-H]- 189.6778077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M-H]- 161.18813 predictedDeepCCS 1.0 (2019) [M+H]+ 189.6379077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M+H]+ 191.7087077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M+H]+ 189.9353077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M+H]+ 190.5012077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M+H]+ 165.20778 predictedDeepCCS 1.0 (2019) [M+Na]+ 189.0318077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M+Na]+ 191.6765077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M+Na]+ 189.4923077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M+Na]+ 189.4845077 predictedDarkChem Lite v0.1.0 [M+Na]+ 174.59575 predictedDeepCCS 1.0 (2019)
Drug created at November 30, 2015 19:10 / Updated at September 28, 2023 05:40