Did Good

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

ToxNet Abstract

The following information was generated from the 
Toxicology Bibliographic Information  (TOXLINE),
a database of the National Library of Medicine's TOXNET system
(http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov) on March 7, 2006.

Query: The chemical name sodium lauryl sulfate was identified.
The following terms were added from ChemIDplus:
stepanol me
solsol needles
sipon wd
sipon pd
sipex op
neutrazyme
maprofix wac
maprofix neu
irium
duponol waqe
duponol waq
duponol wa
duponol me
duponol c
dreft
carsonol sls
aquarex methyl
aquarex me
CAS Registry Number: 151-21-3



2
TITLE:
      Final report on the safety assessment of sodium lauryl sulfate and
      ammonium lauryl sulfate 

AUTHORS:
      Anonymous 

SOURCE:
      J Am Coll Toxicol Vol:2, 7 (1983) pp 127-81

ABSTRACT:
      Sodium and ammonium lauryl sulfate are surfactants used in cosmetics as
      cleansing agents. In absorption, metabolism, and excretion studies, sodium
      lauryl sulfate had a degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of
      its protein denaturing properties. Low levels of skin penetration may
      occur at high use concentration. Sodium lauryl sulfate had an LD50 of 0.8
      to 1.10 g/kg in rats. A formulation containing 15% ammonium lauryl sulfate
      caused depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, and death in four out of
      20 animals. In acute ocular tests, 10% sodium lauryl sulfate caused
      corneal damage to the rabbits'eyes if not irrigated, or if irrigation was
      delayed. A Draize test of a product containing 5.1% sodium lauryl sulfate
      caused mild irritation, and products containing 21% detergent were
      severely irritating with no rinse, and mildly irritating when rinsed.
      Ammonium lauryl sulfate solutions containing 1.25%-27.4% detergent showed
      increasing irritation with increasing concentration; rinsing decreased
      irritation. Acute animal skin irritation studies of 0.5%-10% sodium lauryl
      sulfate caused slight to moderate irritation. Applications of 10%-30%
      detergent caused skin corrosion and severe irritation. Solutions of 2%,
      10%, and 20% ammonium lauryl sulfate were highly irritating and dangerous.
      One percent and 5% sodium lauryl sulfate produced a significant number of
      comedones when applied to the pinna of albino rabbits. A chronic oral
      feeding study in rats of 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1.0% sodium lauryl sulfate in
      the diet for two years produced no abnormalities. A 91-day percutaneous
      toxicity study of a shampoo containing 17.5% ammonium lauryl sulfate had
      no treatment-related abnormalities except for moderate to severe dermal
      effects. In mutagenesis studies, rats fed 1.13% and 0.56% sodium lauryl
      sulfate in the diet for 90 days produced no more chromosomal aberrations
      or clastogenic effects than did a control diet. Sodium lauryl sulfate was
      tested for human skin irritation in concentrations ranging from 0.1% to
      10%. Open patches were less irritating than closed patches, and irritation
      increased directly with concentration. Similar results were obtained when
      formulations containing sodium and ammonium lauryl sulfate were tested. No
      UV light sensitization occurred from any formulation in this latter study.
      Both sodium and ammonium lauryl sulfate appear to be safe in formulations
      designed for discontinuous, brief use followed by thorough rinsing from
      the surface of the skin. In products intended for prolonged contact with
      skin, concentrations should not exceed 1%. 

KEYWORDS:
        <  ANIMAL   >  
        <  HUMAN   >  
      Case report 
      irritancy 
      toxicokinetics 
      genetic toxicity 
      Teratogens 
      Cosmetics 
      Skin 
      Eye 
      reproductive effect 
      dose effect 
      reproductive and developmental tests 

CAS REGISTRY NUMBERS:
      151-21-3 
      2235-54-3 

ENTRY MONTH:
      198706 

YEAR OF PUBLICATION:
      1983

SECONDARY SOURCE ID:
      RISKLINE/1987050008 

DOCUMENT NUMBER:
      RISKLINE/1987050008