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Methylparaben

Chemical compound From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Methylparaben
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Methylparaben (methyl paraben) one of the parabens, is a preservative with the chemical formula CH3O2CC6H4OH. It is the methyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Several related esters are known (ethyl-, propyl-, butylparaben). Together they are the most common preservatives in cosmetics and foods. Among their advantages, parabens are inexpensive, colorless, stable, odorless, and readily biodegraded.[2]

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UV-visible spectrum of methylparaben
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Natural occurrences

Methylparaben serves as a pheromone for a variety of insects[3] and is a component of queen mandibular pheromone.

It is a pheromone in wolves produced[clarification needed] during estrus associated with the behavior of alpha male wolves preventing other males from mounting females in heat.[4][5]

Uses

Methylparaben is an anti-fungal agent often used in a variety of cosmetics and personal-care products. It is also used as a food preservative and has the E number E218.

Methylparaben is commonly used as a fungicide in Drosophila food media at 0.1%.[6] To Drosophila, methylparaben is toxic at higher concentrations, has an estrogenic effect (mimicking estrogen in rats and having anti-androgenic activity), and slows the growth rate in the larval and pupal stages at 0.2%.[7]

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Safety

Methylparaben is practically non-toxic by both oral and parenteral administration in animals.[8] In a population with normal skin, methylparaben is practically non-irritating and non-sensitizing; however, allergic reactions to ingested parabens have been reported.[8] A 2008 study found no competitive binding for human estrogen and androgen receptors for methylparaben, but varying levels of competitive binding were seen with butyl- and isobutyl-paraben.[9]

Some controversy exists about whether methylparaben or propylparabens are harmful at concentrations typically used in body care or cosmetics.[10] Methylparaben and propylparaben are considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the USFDA for food and cosmetic antibacterial preservation.[11] Methylparaben is readily metabolized by common soil bacteria, making it completely biodegradable.

Methylparaben is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract or through the skin.[8] It is hydrolyzed to p-hydroxybenzoic acid and rapidly excreted in urine without accumulating in the body.[8]

Methylparaben applied on the skin may react with UVB, leading to increased skin aging and DNA damage.[12][13]

References

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