Butyl Parabens

Parahydroxybenzoate esters and their sodium salts, usually named parabens, have been used for many decades as antimicrobial preservatives in cosmetics, food products and pharmaceutical formulations. Parabens are effective over a wide pH range with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, and are also effective against yeasts and moulds. Antimicrobial activity increases with increasing alkyl chain length for the commonly used methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl parabens, and synergy between parabens has been reported. Other parabens are also used in pharmaceuticals to a lesser extent, such as ethylparaben and butylparaben. The latter is predominantly used in pharmaceutical formulations for the cutaneous route.