Chlorobutanol, or chlorbutol, is an alcohol-based preservative with no surfactant activity . It also elicits sedative-hypnotic and weak local anesthetic actions in addition to antibacterial and antifungal properties. Similar in... Similar in nature to chloral hydrate, it is formed by the simple nucleophilic addition of chloroform and acetone.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 4 references
As a detergent, chlorobutanol disrupts the lipid structure of the cell membrane and increases the cell permeability, leading to cell lysis. It induces conjunctival and corneal cell toxicity via causing cell retraction and cessation of normal cytokines, cell movement, and mitotic activity. It disrupts the barrier and transport properties of the corneal epithelium as well as inhibits the utilization of oxygen by the cornea. Chlorobutanol also inhibits oxygen use by the cornea, which increases susceptibility to infection.
- Primary indication
- No approved therapeutic indications on its own.Curator reviewed · 10 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C4H7Cl3O · 177.45 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 2002
- Also known as
- Chloretone
Resolves to
OSASVXMJTNOKOY-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESCC(C)(O)C(Cl)(Cl)ClWhat you can answer from here — as of August 29, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Chlorobutanol, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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