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Alternatives to Triclosan in antibacterial hand soaps?
As I understand it, FDA wants all consumer antiseptic wash active ingredients have data that demonstrate a clinical benefit from the use of these consumer antiseptic wash products compared to nonantibacterial soap and water. Does anyone know if this data exists for any ingredients? I know Colgate is using Lactic Acid, and there are a couple of patents floating about - can anyone help?
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7 Replies
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Wow, I’d just make the product and wait till they come knocking. Chances are if your using one of the common actives they won’t ask for this data. If you really want ti try calling the manufacturers of some of the actives used like Chlorhexidine Gluconate, Chloroxylenol, benzalkonium chloride. Or, tell them it’s antibacterial, not antiseptic.
Your 3rd choice is to do what some of the big boys do and label it as dish washing liquid, put hand wash in smaller writing underneath and sell it in the hand soap isle.
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I’m really not sure about FDA requirements for the antiseptics. I’d like just to mention that in almost all American nail products manufacturers use “Sanitizer” instead of the term “Antiseptic” both in sprays and the soaps (liquid or regular).
As alternatives to Triclosan I have successfully used Thymol. It works great as an antiseptic in a wide range of products I have created. Consumers like it also, since it has a “green” background and considered to be “natural” which is relevant nowadays.
Another option would be Hexamethylenetetramine, but it’s Formaldehyde releasing stuff.
And finally you may try quite original twist in such products with regular mixture of preservatives used in higher %%% in purpose to give antiseptic effect. (I have used Phenochem by Sharon Lab.)
What else - guess the regular KOH or NAOH (depends on the soap formulation) at up to 3,0%. It yields some skin drying effect which could be conquered by additional glycols or other possible moisturizers in your formulation -
@bobzchemist Depending on what type of wash it may be an EPA regulated item, not FDA
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Thanks, David. We already consider our existing Triclosan antimicrobial wash both an EPA and FDA regulated product. Even though it’s a medical/hospital grade product, upper management has decreed that Triclosan must go, so I’m looking for a less-controversial alternative.
@vitalys, I appreciate the suggestions, I’ll look into those ideas. -
In Japan usually is used Isopropyl Methylphenol (IPMP), an isomer of thymol.
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Hi Everybody,
This may be informative. I am pasting it from Antimicrobial Test Laboratories’ newsletter from June. That lab is my “main” one:
Background: On December 16, 2013, FDA proposed a ban on antibacterial consumer hand soaps, questioning
effectiveness relative to ordinary soaps and expressing concern that
“…exposure to certain active ingredients in these products could pose
health risks such as bacterial resistance or hormonal effects.” FDA gave manufacturers 6 months to comment on the proposed ban and 1 year to provide clinical studies showing effectiveness.
Current Events: In response, the American Cleaning Institute and Personal Care Products Council filed extensive comments on the rule and funded a new, non-clinical study showing effectiveness.
In that study (which appears to have lacked critical
neutralization-verification controls, critical for chlorhexidine and
triclosan), liberal use of antibacterial soap appeared to kill 90-99%
more bacteria on hands than ordinary soap. Finalization of the new rules
is expected after December 16, 2014. -
@The_Microbiologist, Thank you so much for interesting and important information!
@Bobzchemist , Well if you develop medical/hospital grade product, you may try the following options:
- Phenoxyethanol
- Sorbic acid
- Citral, which bring additionally the pleasant citrus smellAll of them are highly compatible with surfactants in liquid soaps.
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