Panthenol is an alcohol analog of pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5), and thus a provitamin of B5. It is an odorless, transparent, highly viscous, and colorless liquid at room temperature. It is used as a moisturizer and humectant in cosmetics and personal care products. Panthenol is found in lotions, ointments, nasal sprays, eye drops, cleaning solutions for contact lenses, etc. Panthenol comes in two enantiomers: D, and L. Only D-panthenol (dexpanthenol) is biologically active. For cosmetic use, panthenol comes either in D form or as a racemic mixture of D and L (DL-panthenol).
Safety Profile of PANTHENOL
Panthenol is generally well tolerated. In rare cases, skin irritation and contact allergies have been reported. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission on Cosmetic Ingredients have approved panthenol for use in cosmetics. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) classifies panthenol as "possibly safe" for general topical applications and nasal sprays.