Monograph: |
Chlorocresol
Colourless or almost colourless crystals or white crystalline
powder with a characteristic non tarry odour, it is volatile in
steam. M.p. 63Β° to 67Β°. Soluble I in 260 of water, more sol-
uble in hot water; soluble I in 0.4 of alcohol; soluble or
freely
soluble in ether and in fatty oils; soluble in terpenex and in
solutions of alkali hydroxides. Solutions in water acquire a
yellowish colour on exposure to light and air. Store in airtight
containers. Protect from light. The antimicrobial activity of
chlorocresol may be diminished through incompatibility (see
below), through adsorption, through increasing pH, or
through combination with organic matter (including oils and
fats) or nonionic surfactants.
Incompatibilities. Chlorocresol has long been recognised
to be incompatible with a range of compounds including: co-
deine phosphate, diamorphine hydrochloride, papaveretum,
quinine hydrochloride, methylcellulose, and nonionic sur-
factants such as cetomacrogol 1000 and polysorbate 80.
Adverse Effects, Treatment, and Precautions
As for Phenol.
Chlorocresol is less toxic than phenol. Sensitisation reactions
may follow application to the skin and hypersensitivity has
occurred following systemic administration of injections con-
taining chlorocresol as a preservative.
Uses and Administration
Chlorocresol is a potent chlorinated phenolic disinfectant and
antiseptic. It has bactericidal activity against Gram-positive
and Gram-negative bacteria and is effective against fungi but
has little activity against bacterial spores except at high tem-
peratures. It is more active in acid than in alkaline solution.
Chlorocresol is used in various preparations for disinfection
of the skin and wounds. It is also used as a preservative in
creams and other preparations for external use which contain
water.
Chlorocresol is used as a preservative in aqueous injections
issued in multidose containers. It may also be added to aque-
ous preparations that cannot be sterilised in their final con-
tainers and have to be prepared using aseptic precautions.
Concentrations of 0.1% have generally been used. Injections
prepared with chlorocresol should not be injected into the
CSF, the eye, or the heart. Also such injections should gener-
ally not be administered in volumes greater than 15 mL. Ster-
ilisation by heating with a bactericide such as chlorocresol in
no longer a recommended practice.
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