OCTINOXATE
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Enhanced skin absorption, Endocrine disruption (moderate), Persistence and bioaccumulation (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low), and Biochemical or cellular level changes (high)
Cancer 

Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity 

Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity 

Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
moisturizer with SPF | 240 products |
lip balm with SPF | 98 products |
fragrance for women | 90 products |
lipstick | 69 products |
foundation | 61 products |
beach & sport sunscreen | 61 products |
fragrance for men | 58 products |
hair spray | 54 products |
BB cream | 40 products |
shampoo | 39 products |
conditioner | 33 products |
hair treatment/serum | 21 products |
body spray | 20 products |
concealer | 20 products |
facial powder | 18 products |
body wash/cleanser | 15 products |
makeup primer | 14 products |
facial moisturizer/treatment | 13 products |
moisturizer | 13 products |
11 products | |
bronzer/highlighter | 8 products |
hair styling aide | 8 products |
lip balm | 8 products |
blush | 8 products |
lip gloss | 7 products |
CC cream | 6 products |
styling gel/lotion | 5 products |
serums & essences | 5 products |
hand cream | 4 products |
styling mousse/foam | 4 products |
body oil | 4 products |
liquid hand soap | 4 products |
baby sunscreen | 4 products |
lip plumper | 3 products |
exfoliant/scrub | 3 products |
detangler | 2 products |
anti-aging | 2 products |
after shave | 2 products |
facial cleanser | 2 products |
sunless tanning | 1 products |
nail polish | 1 products |
toners/astringents | 1 products |
eye makeup remover | 1 products |
skin fading/lightener | 1 products |
other eye makeup | 1 products |
beard care | 1 products |
Enhanced skin absorption
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
OMC increased penetration of 2,4D (a pesticide) and decreased lag time. | Pont AR, Charron AR, Brand RM 2004. Active ingredients in sunscreens act as topical penetration enhancers for the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 195(3): 348-354. |
Is absorbed into skin in vitro at 0 to X% | {Gupta, 1999; Potard, 2000; Benech-Kieffer, 2000} |
Biochemical or cellular level changes
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Produces damaging reactive oxygen species upon exposure to sunlight | {Allen, 1996} |
Endocrine disruption
Concern | 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 |
Octyl-Methoxycinnamate could alter the sex hormone/neurotransmitter relationships in rats. | Carbone 2010. In Vitro Effect of Octyl - Methoxycinnamate (OMC) on the Release of Gn-RH and Amino Acid Neurotransmitters by Hypothalamus of Adult Rats. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. |
Octylmethoxycinnamate decreased the hormonal release significantly in male and female rats , potentially affecting the reproductive system and sexual maturation. | Szwarcfarb B, Carbone S, Reynoso R, Bollero G, Ponzo O, Moguilevsky J, Scacchi P "Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC), an ultraviolet (UV) filter, alters LHRH and amino acid neurotransmitters release from hypothalamus of immature rats." Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2008 Feb;116(2):94-8. |
Octyl-methoxycinnamate decreased serum levels of thyroid hormones TSH, T4 and T3 in female rats. | Klammer H, Schlecht C, Wuttke W, Schmutzler C, Gotthardt I, Köhrle J, Jarry H "Effects of a 5-day treatment with the UV-filter octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC) on the function of the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid function in rats." Toxicology. 2007 Sep 5;238(2-3):192-9. |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
8 of 82 patients diagnosed with photoallergic contact dermatitis displayed photoallergic reactions to octyl methoxycinnamate following a photopatch test. | Rodriguez E, Valbuena MC, Rey M, Porras de Quintana L 2006. Causal agents of photoallergic contact dermatitis diagnosed in the national institute of dermatology of Colombia. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed 22(4): 189-192. |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
In the men the plasma concentrations of OMC were significantly higher after 96 h than after 24 h. | Janjua NR, Mogensen B, Andersson AM, Petersen JH, Henriksen M, Skakkebaek NE, et al 2004. Systemic Absorption of the Sunscreens Benzophenone-3, Octyl-Methoxycinnamate, and 3-(4-Methyl-Benzylidene) Camphor after Whole-Body Topical Application and Reproductive Hormone Levels in Humans. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 123(1): 57-61. |
Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Increased uterine weight at dose of 100 mg/kg in rats; in addition, expression of Erb and TERP1 genes, decreased expression of IGF1 gene, decreased cholesterol and LDL levels | Klammer 2005. Multi-organic risk assessment of estrogenic properties of octyl-methoxycinnamate in vivo A 5-day sub-acute pharmacodynamic study with ovariectomized rats. Toxicology. Nov 5;215(1-2):90-6 |
Led to reduced food consumption and body weight, increased liver weight, produced hepatic cytoplasmic eosinophilia and erosion/ulceration of glandular stomach mucosa, decreased implantation rate and delayed maturation of F1 and F2 pups | Schneider 2005. Octyl methoxycinnamate: two generation reproduction toxicity in Wistar rats by dietary administration. Food Chem Toxicol. 43(7):1083-92. |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
2-generation rat study shows increased liver weight in adults fed 1000 mg/kg OMC. | Schneider "Octyl methoxycinnamate: two generation reproduction toxicity in Wistar rats by dietary administration" Food Chem Toxicol. 2005 Jul;43(7):1083-92. |
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Ecotoxicology
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
Concentrations in water and fish from Swiss Lakes | ME. Balmer, H.R. Buser, M.D. Muller, T. Poiger. 2004. Occurrence of the organic UV-ï¬lter compounds BP-3, 4-MBC, EHMC, and OC in wastewater, surface waters, and in ï¬sh from Swiss lakes, Agroscope, Swiss Federal Research Station for Horticulture, Plant Protection Chemistry, CH-8820W’’Adenswil, Switzerland. |
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
Concern | Reference |
---|---|
799 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Data Sources
- Pont AR, Charron AR, Brand RM 2004. Active ingredients in sunscreens act as topical penetration enhancers for the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 195(3): 348-354.
- {Gupta, 1999; Potard, 2000; Benech-Kieffer, 2000}
- {Allen, 1996}
- EU (European Union)- Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters 2007. Commision on endocrin disruption requested by the European Parliament in 1998.
- Carbone 2010. In Vitro Effect of Octyl - Methoxycinnamate (OMC) on the Release of Gn-RH and Amino Acid Neurotransmitters by Hypothalamus of Adult Rats. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes.
- Szwarcfarb B, Carbone S, Reynoso R, Bollero G, Ponzo O, Moguilevsky J, Scacchi P "Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC), an ultraviolet (UV) filter, alters LHRH and amino acid neurotransmitters release from hypothalamus of immature rats." Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2008 Feb;116(2):94-8.
- Klammer H, Schlecht C, Wuttke W, Schmutzler C, Gotthardt I, Köhrle J, Jarry H "Effects of a 5-day treatment with the UV-filter octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC) on the function of the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid function in rats." Toxicology. 2007 Sep 5;238(2-3):192-9.
- Rodriguez E, Valbuena MC, Rey M, Porras de Quintana L 2006. Causal agents of photoallergic contact dermatitis diagnosed in the national institute of dermatology of Colombia. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed 22(4): 189-192.
- Janjua NR, Mogensen B, Andersson AM, Petersen JH, Henriksen M, Skakkebaek NE, et al 2004. Systemic Absorption of the Sunscreens Benzophenone-3, Octyl-Methoxycinnamate, and 3-(4-Methyl-Benzylidene) Camphor after Whole-Body Topical Application and Reproductive Hormone Levels in Humans. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 123(1): 57-61.
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
- Klammer 2005. Multi-organic risk assessment of estrogenic properties of octyl-methoxycinnamate in vivo A 5-day sub-acute pharmacodynamic study with ovariectomized rats. Toxicology. Nov 5;215(1-2):90-6
- Schneider 2005. Octyl methoxycinnamate: two generation reproduction toxicity in Wistar rats by dietary administration. Food Chem Toxicol. 43(7):1083-92.
- Schneider "Octyl methoxycinnamate: two generation reproduction toxicity in Wistar rats by dietary administration" Food Chem Toxicol. 2005 Jul;43(7):1083-92.
- ME. Balmer, H.R. Buser, M.D. Muller, T. Poiger. 2004. Occurrence of the organic UV-ï¬lter compounds BP-3, 4-MBC, EHMC, and OC in wastewater, surface waters, and in ï¬sh from Swiss lakes, Agroscope, Swiss Federal Research Station for Horticulture, Plant Protection Chemistry, CH-8820W’’Adenswil, Switzerland.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
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