Toxicity Profile for Cetylpyridinium chloride (2005)

Abstract

Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) was irritating to human skin and to the skin and eyes of rabbits. Skin sensitization to CPC has been reported in humans. Acute oral toxicity was moderate in rats, mice and rabbits, while acute inhalation toxicity to rats was high. Single doses given orally or by injection have induced limb paralysis and central nervous system (CNS) effects in laboratory animals. There was some evidence of liver and kidney changes in rats and rabbits treated by repeated oral exposure. Epidemiological studies suggest a possible (weak) association between therapeutic CPC use during pregnancy and congenital abnormality. In rats fed a CPC-containing copolymer, no effects on reproduction were seen in successive generations and (in a very limited study) no evidence of carcinogenicity was observed. CPC was not mutagenic in an Ames bacterial test, but did induce chromosome damage in plants.