IDENTIFICATION AND USE: 3-Phenylpropanol is a colorless liquid. It smells like hyacinths and tastes similar to apricot. It occurs in many fruits and berries, cinnamon and some types of balsam. 3-Phenylpropanol occurs in tobacco smoke. 3-Phenylpropanol is typically used as a perfume for applications such as antiperspirants, creams-lotions, lipsticks, talcum powder, tablet soap, shampoo, hair conditioner, bath/shower gel, detergent powder, liquid detergent, fabric softener, candles, incense. Also used in blossom compositions for balsamic and oriental notes. It is not registered for current pesticide use in the U.S., but approved pesticide uses may change periodically and so federal, state and local authorities must be consulted for currently approved uses.
HUMAN EXPOSURE AND TOXICITY: In a multicenter study, 218 fragrance sensitive patients with proven contact dermatitis were patch tested. Reactions (0.9%) in fragrance sensitive patients were observed with 3-phenylpropanol at 5% in petrolatum.
ANIMAL STUDIES: In rats dosed orally with 3-phenylpropanol at dose levels of 1.31, 2.56 and 5.0 g/kg/bw deaths occurred within the first 2 days. The clinical signs observed were slight lethargy and flaccid muscle tone. In a preliminary screen for an acute oral toxicity study, a 50% solution of 3-phenyl-1-propanol in corn oil was administered orally to 10 rats at a dose level of 5 g/kg bw, nine (9/10) rats died. In another study, rats were dosed orally with a 50% solution of 3-phenylpropanol in corn oil at dose levels of 1.47, 2.15, 3.16 and 4.64 g/ kg bw. One death occurred at 1.47 g/kg; and at 2.15 and at 4.64 g/kg. The clinical signs observed during the study were depression, hypopnea, ataxia and piloerection. Gross observations at necropsy revealed dark red areas in the lungs at the three lower doses and dark red lungs at the highest dose. In an irritation study in rabbits 3-phenylpropanol was applied for 24 hr under occlusion at dose levels of 2.5 and 5 g/kg. At 2.5 g/kg, moderate erythema and slight to moderate edema were observed. At 5 g/kg, moderate to severe erythema and moderate edema were observed. In another study in rabbits, 3-phenyl-1-propanol was applied for 24 hr under occlusion at 5 g/kg. Moderate to severe erythema, severe edema, scaling and necrosis were observed. A 0.5 mL aliquot of 3-phenylpropanol was applied to intact and abraded skin for 24 hr under occlusion. Moderate irritation was observed. Necrosis was also observed. No mutagenic or genotoxic activity in bacteria and mammalian cell line assay was found. |