Butyl Alcohol
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is Butyl Alcohol?
Butyl alcohol (C4H9OH), also known as butanol, is a clear, colorless and flammable liquid used as an organic solvent. It has four isomers, n-butyl, isobutyl, secondary butyl, and tertiary butyl alcohol. Common cosmetic and pharmaceutical uses for butanol include: cosmetics, such eye makeup, foundations, lipsticks, nail care products, personal hygiene products and shaving products; and use in drug manufacturing for antibiotics, hormones, and vitamins.
Butanol is toxic and should not be consumed orally. Inhaling fumes can be toxic. Prolonged, excessive exposure to vapors over 24 hours may cause serious adverse effects, and may lead to death. It may be irritating to the eyes or skin. In animal studies, birth defects have been noted when exposed to high concentrations of butyl alcohol which also caused serious adverse effects to the mother. There is no data to suggest butyl alcohol leads to damage of the DNA or causes cancer.[1]
[1] Dow. Product Safety Assessment; n-butanol. Accessed April 9, 2012. http://www.dow.com/productsafety/finder/nbut.htm#HealthInfo
Top Medications Containing Butyl Alcohol
- Aspirin, Butalbital and Caffeine 325 mg / 50 mg / 40 mg (Lannett Company, Inc.)
- Doxepin Hydrochloride 25 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Doxepin Hydrochloride 50 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Doxepin Hydrochloride 10 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Doxepin Hydrochloride 100 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Etodolac 300 mg (Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.)
- Etodolac 200 mg (Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.)
- Nitrofurantoin Monohydrate Macrocrystals 100 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Omeprazole Delayed Release 20 mg (Kremers Urban)
- Omeprazole Delayed Release 20 mg (Apotex Corp.)
- Omeprazole Delayed Release 20 mg (Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc.)
- Omeprazole Delayed Release 40 mg (Kremers Urban)
- Pantoprazole Sodium Delayed Release 40 mg (Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc.)
- Phentermine Hydrochloride 30 mg (Lannett Company, Inc.)
- Phentermine Hydrochloride 30 mg (Lannett Company, Inc.)
- Phentermine Hydrochloride 30 mg (Lannett Company, Inc.)
- Pradaxa 150 mg (Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Restoril 30 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Tamsulosin Hydrochloride 0.4 mg (Actavis)
- Tamsulosin Hydrochloride 0.4 mg (Global Pharmaceuticals)
