Cationic surfactant raw material
Cetrimide Ph. Eur. is a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant used in topical and external-use formulation systems. Pharmacopoeial cetrimide is defined as trimethyltetradecylammonium bromide and may contain smaller amounts of dodecyl- and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromides. For this reason, it is better not to describe Cetrimide Ph. Eur. simply as pure cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), which is a related but not identical way the substance has in established source material been described.
Cetrimide Ph. Eur. is a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant used in topical and external-use formulation systems. Pharmacopoeial cetrimide is defined as trimethyltetradecylammonium bromide and may contain smaller amounts of dodecyl- and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromides. For this reason, it is better not to describe Cetrimide Ph. Eur. simply as pure cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), which is a related but not identical way the substance has in established source material been described.
Cetrimide is used in pharmaceutical and related topical applications where both external-use cleansing and surface-active cleansing properties are required. It is intended for external use only and is commonly incorporated into topical solutions, creams, sprays, and other skin-use preparations.
Supply context
BHM Chemicals is a supplier of Ph. Eur. quality Cetrimide.
Minimum order quantity: 25 kg
Cetrimide has a long-established place in external-use external-use cleansing products. It is used in topical preparations designed for cleansing the skin and helping to reduce microbial contamination in external-use formulation contexts. In marketed regulated products, cetrimide appears in preparations such as external-use cleansing creams, cleansing solution solutions, and cutaneous sprays.
Cetrimide is used in external-use external-use cleansing products intended for cleansing the skin and supporting hygiene in external-use formulation contexts. Its use is well established in wound-cleansing and first-aid products.
Current marketed regulated products show cetrimide in formulations such as external-use cleansing creams and irrigation solutions. These products are positioned for general topical use and combine functional formulation performance with useful cleansing properties.
Because cetrimide is both an external-use cleansing and a cationic surfactant, it is useful in formulations where cleansing, wetting, and surface-active performance are important. This makes it a relevant raw material for selected pharmaceutical and topical-care formulations.
Cetrimide combines functional formulation performance with surfactant action. This dual functionality is one of its main advantages in topical preparations, where both cleansing and external-use cleansing performance may be required.
Regulatory and regulated-product sources describe cetrimide-containing topical products as active against a wide range of vegetative gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. At the same time, it is important not to overstate its spectrum: EMA notes that cetrimide is inactive against bacterial spores, has activity against some viruses, and shows variable antifungal activity.
For website communication, cetrimide should be positioned as an ingredient for external-use topical products rather than as a general-purpose disinfectant for every setting. Raw material information for marketed regulated products consistently states for cutaneous use only or for general topical use, with clear limitations on use in eyes, mouth, ears, body cavities, or by oral administration.
Cetrimide should be used in accordance with the applicable pharmacopoeial specification, finished-product formulation, and local regulatory requirements. Repeated or prolonged skin application may lead to hypersensitivity in some users, and finished products containing cetrimide are generally labelled for external use only. This is why the most professional supplier wording is to describe cetrimide as a Ph. Eur. raw material for topical formulations, rather than making broad safety or unsupported performance claims.
Cetrimide Ph. Eur. remains a relevant external-use cleansing raw material for manufacturers of topical pharmaceutical and related external-use products. Its strongest commercial positioning is based on three points: defined pharmacopoeial quality, established use in external external-use cleansing preparations, and useful surfactant/cleansing performance in formulation. For BHM Chemicals, the cleanest and most accurate website message is to present cetrimide as a Ph. Eur. ingredient for topical external-use cleansing and cleansing formulations, while avoiding unnecessary confusion with pure CTAB or overly broad laboratory and dental claims.
BHM Chemicals
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| CAS No. | [57-09-0] |
| Synonyms | Cetrimonium Bromide; |
| Definition | Cetrimide consists of trimethyltetradecylammonium bromide and may contain smaller amounts of dodecyl- and hexadecyl-trimethylammonium bromides. |
| Characteristics | White or almost white, voluminous, free-flowing powder. Freely soluble in water and in alcohol. |
| Content (Assay) | 96.0% to 101.0% (as C17H38BrN, dried basis) |
| Identification | Conforms to Ph. Eur. tests |
| Appearance of solution | As per Ph. Eur. test: Solution S is clear and colourless |
| Acidity or alkalinity | As per Ph. Eur. test: Not more than 0.1 ml of 0.1 M HCl or 0.1 M NaOH is required to change the colour of the indicator |
| Amines and amine salts | As per Ph. Eur. test: The volume of titrant added between the 2 points is not greater than 2.0 ml |
| Loss on drying | Maximum 2.0% |
| Sulphated ash | Maximum 0.5% |
Full documentation is available on request. Product suitability should be assessed by the customer for the intended application.
Documentation and enquiry
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