Petrolatum (white) 

Petrolatum (white) is mainly composed of hydrocarbons, possesses strong water resistance and moisturizing properties, and is commonly used as a pharmaceutical excipient. Petrolatum (white) penetrates into stratum corneum cells, improves skin barrier function, repairs epidermal structure, and reduces transepidermal water loss and the risk of skin damage. Petrolatum (white) induces the expression of antimicrobial peptides, innate immune genes, filaggrin and loricrin. Petrolatum (white) is used in research on atopic dermatitis and post-operative skin infections^[1][2][3].

Petrolatum (thin layer; once (acetone-perturbed skin), twice daily for 3 days (normal skin)) (white) penetrates all levels of the stratum corneum in both normal and acetone-perturbed post-mortem hairless mouse stratum corneum, localizing to intercellular spaces where it expands domains, separates bilayers, and forms distinct nonlamellar regions, without entering nucleated epidermal layers^[2].
Petrolatum (100%; 48 h occlusion, biopsy at 72 h) (white) upregulates the expression of antimicrobial peptides (S100A8, S100A9, DEFB4A, LCN2, PI3, CCL20) and innate immune genes, enhances the expression of filaggrin (FLG) and loricrin (LOR) and thickens the stratum corneum in human skin, and reduces the infiltration of CD3⁺/CD8⁺ T cells and CD1c⁺ dendritic cells in nonlesional atopic dermatitis skin^[3].

MedChemExpress (MCE) has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.

Petrolatum (Thin layer; topical; single application, twice daily; 3 days) penetrates all levels of the murine stratum corneum via intercellular domains, dramatically reduces TEWL immediately after application to acetone-damaged skin, and does not impede endogenous barrier recovery^[2].

MedChemExpress (MCE) has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.

8009-03-8

<38°C Solid,>54°C Liquid

White to light yellow

[Petrolatum (white)]

Room temperature in continental US; may vary elsewhere.

• [1]. Elder DP, et al. Pharmaceutical excipients - quality, regulatory and biopharmaceutical considerations. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2016;87:88-99.  [Content Brief]

  [2]. Ghadially R, et al. Effects of petrolatum on stratum corneum structure and function[J]. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992, 26(3): 387-396.

  [3]. Czarnowicki T, et al. Petrolatum: Barrier repair and antimicrobial responses underlying this "inert" moisturizer. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016;137(4):1091-1102.e7.