Bisoctrizole

Absorption

A rat and human dermal penetration study in vitro indicates that bisoctrizole displays minimal absorption through the skin, with only about 0.01% and 0.06 % of the applied dose penetration through the human and rat skin membrane, respectively . Despite low dermal uptake, potential bioaccumulation after repeated skin applications cannot be excluded .

Toxicity

Both oral LD50 and dermal LD50 in rat is > 2000 mg/kg . In a developmental toxicity study of rats, the maternal and developmental no-observed-effect-level (NOEL) of bisoctrizole was the high dose level of 1000 mg/kg bw/day . Animal studies suggest that bisoctrizole mediates no phytotoxic effects .

Description

The two benzotriazole groups in bisoctrizole make it an ideal substance for absorbing ultraviolet radiation. Thus, it is produced by BASF (Ludwigshafen, Germany) and MPI Chemie (Houten, The Netherlands) as an additive for sunscreen formulations.
Most compounds used in sunscreens are dissolved in the organic or aqueous phase of the product. But bisoctrizole is almost insoluble in anything, so it is prepared in microfine particles that are suspended in the aqueous phase.
Bisoctrizole is approved for use in the European Union and elsewhere, but not in the United States. The reason is that the manufacturers of bisoctrizole and other sunscreen ingredients are in a stalemate with the US Food and Drug Administration. FDA has requested additional toxicity data for the products to comply with current regulations, but the producers, citing the cost of testing, have asked FDA to relax the standards. As of January 2018, the situation had not been resolved.

The Uses of Bisoctrizole

Bisoctrizole is a light stabilizer in polymers and resins. It is majorly used as a UV filter in sunscreens and in photo-luminescent dyes for organic electronic based applications.

Background

Bisoctrizole, or methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol, is a broad-spectrum organic UV filter that is marketed as Tinosorb M . It is a benzotriazole-based organic compound that absorbs, reflects, and scatters both UV-A and UV-B rays. Bisoctrizole is not approved by the FDA, but is approved in the EU and other parts of the world as a UV-filter in sunscreens, day care products and skin lightening products at a maximum concentration of 10% .

Indications

Indicated for use as a sunscreen agent in cosmetic products.

Pharmacokinetics

Under the conditions of in vitro androgen competitive binding assay, bisoctrizole displayed no intrinsic androgenic, estrogenic, nor uterotrophic activity .

Metabolism

No pharmacokinetic data available.