Phenoxyethanol is an antiseptic used as a hand disinfectant or preservative in medications. Phenoxyethanol is a colorless liquid with a pleasant odor.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 1 reference
Phenoxyethanol has antibacterial properties and is effective against strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa even in the presence of 20% serum. It not as effective against Proteus vulgaris, other gram-negative organisms, and gram-positive organisms. Phenoxyethanol has been used as a preservative at a concentration of 1%. A wider spectrum of antimicrobial activity is achieved with preservative mixtures of phenoxyethanol and hydroxybenzoates. Phenoxyethanol may be used as a 2.2% solution or a 2% cream for the treatment of superficial wounds, burns, or abscesses infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In skin infection, derivatives of phenoxyethanol are used in combination with either cyclic acid or zinc undecenoate.
- Primary indication
- Antimicrobial agent used as a preservative in cosmetics.Curator reviewed · 1 structured indication
- Formula / weight
- C8H10O2 · 138.166 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 2000
- Also known as
- 2-phenoxyethanol · 2-Phenoxyethyl alcohol · beta-Hydroxyethyl phenyl ether · Ethylene glycol monophenyl ether · Phenoxytol
- Code names
- FEMA NO. 4620
Resolves to
What you can answer from here — as of August 10, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Phenoxyethanol, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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