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BUTYLPARABEN
Score
Data: Fair
CAS94-26-8
eye shadow (359 products)
facial moisturizer/ treatment (270 products)
anti-aging (239 products)
mascara (154 products)
foundation (146 products)
Show all 2,971 products that contain BUTYLPARABEN.
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BUTYLPARABEN


image source: PubChem
Health concerns of ingredient
About the ratings
Cancer no information
Developmental & reproductive toxicityyes
Allergies & immunotoxicityyes
Use restrictions no information
Contamination concerns: none
Other MODERATE concerns: Endocrine disruption, Biochemical or cellular level changes
Other LOW concerns: Data gaps

About the ratings

EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer

Function/use(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Preservative; MASKING

About BUTYLPARABEN: Butylparaben is in the paraben family of preservatives used by the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care product industries. Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) syst ... read more

Synonym(s): BENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-, BUTYL ESTER; BUTYL 4-HYDROXYBENZOATE; BUTYL P-HYDROXYBENZOATE; BUTYL P-HYDROXY BENZOATE; BUTYL PARAHYDROXYBENZOATE; PARAHYDROXYBENZOATE ESTER; BUTYLPARABEN, POTASSIUM SALT; BENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-, BUTYL ESTER, SODIUM SALT; BUTYLPARABEN, SODIUM SALT; 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID, BUTYL ESTER, SODIUM SALT; BUTYL ESTER BENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-

Endocrine disruption

type of concern product conditions reference
Human endocrine disruptor - strong evidence    European Commission on Endocrine Disruption
One or more studies show significant wildlife and the environment disruption    European Commission on Endocrine Disruption
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Allergies/immunotoxicity

type of concern product conditions reference
Human skin toxicant - strong evidence   
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Developmental/reproductive toxicity

type of concern product conditions reference
One or more animal studies show effects at very low doses    Oishi S, 2002

Biochemical or cellular level changes

type of concern product conditions reference
Interferes with gene expresion    Pugazhendhi D, Sadler AJ, Darbre PD, 2007

Data gaps

type of concern product conditions reference
Safety assessment was based on related chemical   Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product   Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
176 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results ->   PubMed

Ecotoxicology

type of concern product conditions reference
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin    Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

type of concern product conditions reference
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful    Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Persistence and bioaccumulation

type of concern product conditions reference
Not suspected to be bioaccumulative    Environment Canada Domestic Substance List
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Multiple, additive exposure sources

type of concern product conditions reference
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food   FDA Everything Added to Food

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s)
Cosmetic Ingredient Review AssessmentsBUTYLPARABENQQQ01,QQQ11,QQQ37; D-, M-, C-
FDA Everything Added to FoodBUTYL P-HYDROXYBENZOATE• ASP
Oishi S, 2002BUTYLPARABENA dose-dependent decrease of both round and elongated spermatid counts in stages VII-VIII seminiferous tubules was observed, and the elongated spermatid counts were significantly lower in all of the treated groups.
Routledge EJ, Parker J, Odum J, Ashby J, Sumpter JP, 1998BUTYLPARABENButylparaben produced a positive uterotrophic response in vivo, approximately 100,000 times less potent than 17 beta-estradiol.
Pugazhendhi D, Sadler AJ, Darbre PD, 2007BUTYLPARABENThe study identified genes which are upregulated or downregulated to a similar extent by methylparaben, n-butylparaben and 17beta-oestradiol.
European Commission on Endocrine DisruptionN-BUTYL P-HYDROXYBENZOATEHH-CAT1;WF-CAT1
Environment Canada Domestic Substance ListBENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-, BUTYL ESTER,,,,,,,,,
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient ListBENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-, BUTYL ESTERreported as used in fragrance compounds in 2008
Byford JR, Shaw LE, Drew MG, Pope GS, Sauer MJ, Darbre PD, 2002PARABENSEWG11
Harvell, J, 1994PARABENSParabens listed as one of the agents capable of causing contact urticaria by immunological pathogenetic mechanism.

Other RTECS® classifications [shown for informational purposes only]
government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s)
RTECS®- Archives of Toxicology 2002BUTYLPARABEN• reproductive - Spermatogenesis (mouse TDLo)
• reproductive - Testes, epididymis, sperm duct (mouse TDLo)
• endocrine system - Other changes (mouse TDLo)
RTECS®- Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Scientific Edition 1956BUTYLPARABEN• metabolic - Weight loss or decreased weight gain (rat TDLo)
• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Ataxia (mouse LD50)
• broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50)
• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Flaccid paralysis without anesthesia (usually neuromuscular blockage) (mouse LD50)
• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Somnolence (general depressed activity) (mouse LD50)
RTECS®- Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 1977BUTYLPARABEN• sense organ - Lacrimation (mouse LD50)
• skin - Primary skin irritant (guinea pig )
RTECS®- Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 1977BUTYLPARABEN• skin - Primary skin irritant (guinea pig )
RTECS®- Mutation Research 2008BUTYLPARABEN• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (hamster ovr)
• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (hamster ovr)
• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange (hamster ovr)
RTECS®- Nippon Eiseigaku Zasshi 1973BUTYLPARABEN• broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50)
RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1998BUTYLPARABEN• endocrine system - Changes in uterine weight (rat TDLo)

references
government/industry list/academic study reference
Cosmetic Ingredient Review AssessmentsCIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
FDA Everything Added to FoodFDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Open scientific literatureOishi S., 2002. "Effects of butyl paraben on the male reproductive system in mice," Arch Toxicol. 2002 Jul;76(7):423-9.
Open scientific literatureRoutledge EJ, Parker J, Odum J, Ashby J, Sumpter JP, 1998. "Some alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (parabens) are estrogenic.," Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1998 Nov;153(1):12-9.
Open scientific literaturePugazhendhi D, Sadler AJ, Darbre PD, 2007. "Comparison of the global gene expression profiles produced by methylparaben, n-butylparaben and 17beta-oestradiol in MCF7 human breast cancer cells," J Appl Toxicol. 2007 Jan-Feb;27(1):67-77.
European Commission on Endocrine DisruptionEU (European Union)- Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters 2007. Commision on endocrin disruption requested by the European Parliament in 1998.
Environment Canada Domestic Substance ListEC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient ListIFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25
EWG Assessment of Open Scientific LiteratureByford JR, Shaw LE, Drew MG, Pope GS, Sauer MJ, Darbre PD. Oestrogenic activity of parabens in MCF7 human breast cancer cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2002 Jan;80(1):49-60.
Open scientific literatureHarvell, J., M. Bason and H. Maibach. Contact Urticaria and its Mechanisms. Food Chemistry and Toxicology 32(2): 103-112. 1994. (Table 2: Substances identified as capable of causing contact urticaria).
RTECS®- Archives of Toxicology 2002 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Archives of Toxicology. (Springer-Verlag, Heidelberger Pl. 3, D-1000 Berlin 33, Fed. Rep. Ger.) V.32- 1974- 76,423,2002
RTECS®- Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Scientific Edition 1956 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Scientific Edition. (Washington, DC) V.29-49, 1940-60. For publisher information, see JPMSAE. 45,260,1956
RTECS®- Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 1977 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. (Soc. of Cosmetic Chemists, 1995 Broadway, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10023) V.1- 1947- 28,357,1977
RTECS®- Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 1977 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. (Soc. of Cosmetic Chemists, 1995 Broadway, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10023) V.1- 28,357,1977
RTECS®- Mutation Research 2008 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 649,114,2008
RTECS®- Nippon Eiseigaku Zasshi 1973 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Nippon Eiseigaku Zasshi. Japanese Journal of Hygiene. (Nippon Eisei Gakkai, c/o Kyoto Daigaku Igakubu, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606, Japan) V.1- 1946- 28,463,1973
RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1998 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. (Academic Press, Inc., 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802) V.1- 1959- 153,12,1998

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