Name
Cetylpyridinum chloride
Description
Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) is a cationic quaternary ammonium compound used primarily as an antiseptic agent in various oral care products, including mouthwashes, toothpaste, lozenges, and throat sprays. It is effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria, fungi, and some viruses.
Benefits
Antibacterial properties
Considerations
• Quaternary Ammonium Compound This chemical is in a class of chemicals called quaternary ammonium compounds, or quats as they are called for short. Quats have been found in some studies to be toxic to mitochondria in our body's cells. • Possible Endocrine Disruptor Quats have also been found to disrupt hormones, especially estrogen.
• Contamination Concerns
There is some data to suggest that quaternary ammonium compounds can release carcinogenic nitrosamines under certain conditions.
Synonyms
Cetylpyridinium chloride monohydrate
1-Hexadecylpyridinium chloride monohydrate
1-Hexadecylpyridin-1-ium chloride hydrate
Hexadecylpyridinium chloride monohydrate
Pyridinium, 1-hexadecyl-, chloride, monohydrate
Research Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4260154/ https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp1404 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es902840h https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/22324
Summary
Possible endocrine disruption, nitrosamine contamination concerns, environmental toxicity.
Where Knowledge Grows