In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.

Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.

Isopropyl alcohol, or isopropanol, is a colorless, flammable chemical compound from the group of aliphatic alcohols, with a strong odor. It is used in the manufacture of a wide variety of industrial and household chemicals, and is a common ingredient in preparations such as antiseptics, disinfectants, and detergents.

Isopropanol – action

Isopropanol dissolves ethyl cellulose, polyvinyl butyral, many oils, alkaloids, gums and natural resins. Unlike ethanol or methanol, isopropanol is not miscible with salt solutions and can be separated from aqueous solutions by adding a salt such as sodium chloride. This process is commonly referred to as salting out and separates the concentrated isopropyl alcohol into a separate layer. Isopropanol has the ability to quickly evaporate from a given surface.

Isopropanol is a strong preservative, and the high concentration of this substance guarantees antiseptic properties. Isopropanol prevents the development of pathogenic microorganisms, when used in cosmetics, it fights the production of foam, and also acts as a transporter of other active ingredients from the cosmetic into the skin. In addition, it strongly degreases and cleanses.

It has a slightly bitter taste and is not drinkable.

See also: Ethyl alcohol poisoning

Isopropanol – application

Isopropanol is popular especially in pharmaceutical applications due to its low toxicity.

Isopropanol – medical applications

In medical applications, hand sanitizers and disinfectant pads typically contain a 60-70% solution of isopropyl alcohol or ethanol in water. Water is needed to open the pores of the bacterial membrane that acts as a gateway to isopropanol. A 75% solution in water can be used as a hand sanitizer. It should be added that isopropanol is used as a drying aid for the prevention of otitis externa, better known as swimmer’s ear.

Although isopropanol can be used for anesthesia, its many negative characteristics or drawbacks prohibit this use. Isopropyl alcohol can also be used like ether as a solvent or as an anesthetic via vapor inhalation or orally. Early uses included the use of a solvent as a general anesthetic for small mammals and rodents by scientists and some veterinarians. However, it was soon discontinued because a number of complications developed, including respiratory irritation, internal bleeding, and vision and hearing problems. Rarely, respiratory failure leading to death has been observed in animals.

See also: Bacteria more dangerous than cancer

Isopropanol – cosmetic applications

Isopropanol in cosmetics is mainly used as a solvent and a substance diluting a given product. However, it should be borne in mind that it has a strong irritating effect, therefore it should not be used in skin care products, especially permanent ones.

Isopropanol in the composition is in:

  1. hair styling products (e.g. sprays, foams);
  2. shaving products (e.g. foams);
  3. shampoos, masks and hair conditioners;
  4. hair ampoules aimed at a given trichological problem;
  5. perfumes and toilet waters;
  6. disinfectants;
  7. antibacterial soaps.

See also: WHO provides recipes for hand disinfectants. For use in the fight against coronavirus

Isopropanol – other uses

As a biological sample preservative, isopropanol provides a relatively non-toxic alternative to formaldehyde and other synthetic preservatives. 70–99% isopropyl alcohol solutions are used to preserve the samples.

Isopropanol is also often used for DNA extraction. A laboratory worker adds it to the DNA solution to precipitate the DNA, which then forms a precipitate after centrifugation. This is possible because DNA is insoluble in isopropanol.

However, the most common use of isopropanol is as a solvent. It evaporates quickly, leaves almost zero traces of oil compared to ethanol and is relatively non-toxic compared to alternative solvents.

Isopropanol is commonly used to clean glasses, electrical contacts, audio or video tape heads, DVD lenses and other optical discs, remove thermal paste from heat sinks on processors, and other chip packages. In printing houses, it serves as a degreasing agent that ensures print quality. Isopropanol is also used as a fuel additive as it prevents water crystals from forming.

See also: Is isopropanol effective in decontaminating coronavirus items?

Isopropanol – safety of use

Isopropanol is one of the strongest preservatives used in cosmetics, but it is recognized by global organizations as a safe and acceptable agent for use in skin care products. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that isopropanol is not recommended for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and for allergic and prone to allergies.

It should also be added that isopropanol, or rather the vapors generated from it, may be harmful to the eyes and respiratory system. Direct contact of isopropanol with the delicate skin around the eyes and the eye itself is also not safe. It can cause severe irritation. Therefore, the use of gloves is recommended when working with isopropanol.

Consumption of isopropanol may produce an intoxicating effect.

See also: A handshake or a “turtle”? Epidemiologists have proven that the traditional greeting carries 10 times more microbes

Isopropanol – isopropanol poisoning

Isopropanol and its metabolite acetone are central nervous system (CNS) depressants. Poisoning can occur through ingestion, inhalation or skin absorption. Symptoms of isopropyl alcohol poisoning include redness, headache, dizziness, depression, nausea, vomiting, anesthesia, hypothermia, low blood pressure, shock, respiratory depression, and coma. Overdosing can cause a fruity odor in the breath due to its metabolism into acetone.

Isopropanol does not cause anion gap acidosis but, like other alcohols, it does cause an osmolality gap between the calculated and measured serum osmolas.

Isopropanol is oxidized to acetone by alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver and has a biological half-life in humans between 2,5 and 8,0 hours. Unlike methanol or ethylene glycol poisoning, isopropyl alcohol metabolites are much less toxic and treatment is largely supportive.

See also: Lethal dose of alcohol

Before use, read the leaflet, which contains indications, contraindications, data on side effects and dosage as well as information on the use of the medicinal product, or consult your doctor or pharmacist, as each drug used improperly is a threat to your life or health. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.

Leave a Reply