Use Of Benzyl Alcohol Research Articles

Advances in the Design of Photoinitiators, Photo‐Sensitizers and Monomers for Photoinitiated Cationic Polymerization

AbstractThe present article reports on recent work from this laboratory that has led to advances in several areas of the field of photoinitiated cationic polymerization. Two different classes of novel photoinitiators 5‐arylthianthrenium salts and 4‐hydroxyphenyl dialkylsulfonium salts have been prepared and their use in the polymerization of various monomer systems studied. Also described is the development of both monomeric and polymeric photosensitizers that may be employed to broaden the spectral sensitivity of various onium salt photoinitiators. Acceleration of rate of the ring‐opening polymerization of epoxide monomers has been achieved through the use of benzyl alcohols. Further, benzyl alcohols bearing sensitizing groups were found to be especially interesting as combination accelerators‐photosensitizers. Lastly, epoxy monomers having groups with easily abstractable protons display exceptional reactivity in photoinitiated ring‐opening cationic polymerization. A mechanism has been proposed to explain this observation.

Determination of benzyl alcohol and its metabolite in plasma by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A study undertaken following recent reports of deaths in neonatal children associated with the use of benzyl alcohol resulted in the development of a stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic assay of benzyl alcohol in plasma using benzocaine as internal standard. Thawed plasma samples were diluted and subjected to solid-phase extraction using Extrelut and eluted with ethyl acetate. The evaporated eluate was reconstituted with mobile phase and chromatographed on a C 18 column with water—acetonitrile—glacial acetic acid as mobile phase and detection at 254 nm. Baseline separation was achieved within 12 min for benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, hippuric acid and benzocaine. Peak-height ratios were linear over 80–640 ng of benzyl alcohol injected ( r = 0.998) and over 10–80 ng of benzoic acid injected ( r = 0.999). Benzaldehyde and hippuric acid were not quantitated because these compounds were not detectable in actual dog plasma. Validation studies by spiking dog plasma with benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid gave overall percent recoveries (± relative standard deviation, n = 4) of 98.3 ± 3.0 and 101.4 ± 7.6%, respectively. The method was applied to the assay of actual plasma samples. Since benzyl alcohol is very susceptible to oxidation to benzaldehyde and benzoic acid, its purity in bulk liquid samples can be determined by this method.

409 METHYLPARABEN (MP) CONCENTRATION IN WHOLE BLOOD FOLLOWING GENTAMICIN ADMINISTRATION IN PREMATURE INFANTS

A preservative, benzyl alcohol, has been demonstrated to accumulate to potentially toxic levels in preterm infants. Subsequently, use of benzyl alcohol has been curtailed. Parabens are also preservatives which find wide application in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. However, parabens have not been quantitated when given with other medications, such as gentamicin. The methyl ester of parahydroxybenzoic acid(MP), if present in sufficient concentration, may displace billrubin from albumin.A high pressure liquid chromatography technique was developed to measure MP in small(0.5ml) blood samples. MP was measured prior to and 1 hr. after an IM dose of gentamicin sulfate in prematures already receiving antibiotics. MP was present at a concentration of 1.8 mg/ml in this gentamicin preparation. The mean concentration of .23μg/ml pre-injection was not significantly different from a post-injection average concentration of .31μg/ml (n=8). The highest concentration observed(.73μg/ml) is two orders of magnitude lower than that felt to be toxic for benzyl alcohol.No significant difference was found between means using a one tailed t test. Non-accumulation with hepatic and renal compromise has yet to be demonstrated.

The Practitioner's Role in Detection of Adverse Drug Reactions

A single letter or telephone call can be lifesaving! A few years ago, a clinician telephoned the Food and Drug Administration to voice his concern about potential dangers resulting from the use of benzyl alcohol in the treatment of neonates. Solutions used to flush intra-arterial lines contained small amounts of benzyl alcohol. This minimal amount was a lethal dosage for some of the tiny patients. The suspicions of the practicing pediatrician were correct, and his report saved many lives. The dangers of using the drug ticrynafin were identified in a similar fashion, ie, by spontaneous telephone calls and letters from practicing physicians to the FDA. Accumulation of data from single case reports correctly identified serious liver damage as a potential danger of this agent, and the drug was removed from the market in the United States. Clinicians can provide invaluable data in the evaluation of drug effects in treating

The tolerance and safety of intravenously administered benzyl alcohol in methylprednisolone sodium succinate formulations in normal human subjects

Two methylprednisolone sodium succinate formulations with different preservatives (benzyl alcohol and parabens) and a placebo were administered in single doses of 2.0 g to 24 subjects. Both formulations were well tolerated and no important drug-related side effects were encountered. No clinically significant changes in the vital signs, electrocardiograms, electroencephalograms, or laboratory parameters were noted. All expected corticosteroid-induced changes were reversible. The higher antibacterial activity of benzyl alcohol shown in the challenge tests plus comparable tolerance to parabens favor the use of benzyl alcohol as a preservative.

On the microscopic detection of lithium

For the extraction of LiCI from mixtures of the alkali chlorides the use of benzylalcohol is advocated. Its advantages over isoamylalcohol and diozane are described. For the microscopic detection of lithium this element is transformed into hydrated lithium perchlorate which shows very characteristic, birefringent, long needles. In pure LiCl solutions the sensitivity is about 1 Li in 10 5 parts of water.