Benzethonium chloride

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Benzethonium chloride
Systematic (IUPAC) name
N-benzyl-N,N-dimethyl-2-{2-[4-(2,4,4-trimethylpentan-2-yl)phenoxy]ethoxy}ethanaminium chloride
Identifiers
CAS number	121-54-0
ATC code	D08AJ58
PubChem	8478
ChemSpider	8165
Chemical data
Formula	C27H42ClNO2
Mol. mass	448.081 g/mol
SMILES	eMolecules & PubChem
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	?
Metabolism	?
Half life	?
Excretion	?
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.	?
Legal status	OTC(US)
Routes	Topical
Y(what is this?)  (verify)

Benzethonium chloride is a synthetic quaternary ammonium salt. This compound is an odorless white solid; soluble in water. It has surfactant, antiseptic, and anti-infective properties, and it is used as a topical antimicrobial agent in first aid antiseptics. It is also found in cosmetics and toiletries such as mouthwashes (disguised as grapefruit seed extract; see below), anti-itch ointments, and antibacterial moist towelettes. Benzethonium chloride is also used in the food industry as a hard surface disinfectant.^[1]

The FDA's tentative final monograph (21CFR333) for first aid antiseptics specifies that benzethonium chloride's safe and effective concentrations are 0.1 - 0.2% for these products. Aqueous solutions of benzethonium chloride are not absorbed through the skin. It is unapproved in the USA and Europe as a food additive ingredient. In Switzerland it is classified as a class-2 poison.

In addition to its highly effective antimicrobial activity, benzethonium chloride contains a positively charged nitrogen atom covalently bonded to four carbon atoms. This positive charge attracts it to the skin and hair. This contributes to a soft, powdery afterfeel on the skin and hair, as well as long-lasting persistent activity against microorganisms.

Benzethonium chloride exhibits a broad spectrum of microbiocidal activity against bacteria, fungi, mold and viruses. Independent testing shows that benzethonium chloride is highly effective against such pathogens as: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), VISA, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, Herpes Simplex Virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Norovirus.

It is available under trade names salanine, BZT, diapp, quatrachlor, polymine d, phemithyn, antiseptol, disilyn, phermerol, and others.^[2] It is also the principal component of various chemically denatured grapefruit seed extracts, which are controversially marketed as "natural" health supplements / ingredients.

References