Also known as: Methyl sulfoxide, Methane, sulfinylbis-, Caswell No. 381, Demasorb, Doligur (+14 more)
DMSO (CAS 67-68-5) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent. NOAEL 1000 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max II/338; GHS signal word WARNING. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the
Substance Compliance tool.
Toxicological Studies
3 study endpoints found for DMSO. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
Endpoint
Value
Route
Species
Study Type
Source
NOAEL
=500 mg/kg bw/day
injection
Rat
repeat dose other
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
NOAEL
=1650 mg/kg bw/day
dermal
Pig
chronic
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
NOAEL
=3300 mg/kg bw/day
dermal
Monkey
chronic
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
WARNING
Hazard Statements
Combustible liquid
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is mildly irritating to the eyes and skin. Exposure to high concentrations could cause lowering of consciousness. May accelerate skin absorption of other materials. See Notes.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation, through the skin and by ingestion.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for DMSO across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
Endpoint
Value
Species
Route
Duration
Source
LEL
=83083.4 mg/m3
Human
inhalation
-
DOE Protective Action Criteria
NOAEL
=1000 mg/kg-day
Rat
oral
-
EFSA
LOEL
=25 uL
Mouse
dermal
short-term
ECOTOX
NOEL
=25 uL
Mouse
dermal
short-term
ECOTOX
LOAEC
=2.783 mg/L
Rat
inhalation
subchronic
HPVIS
NOAEC
=0.964 mg/L
Rat
inhalation
subchronic
HPVIS
LD50
~40000 mg/kg
Rat
dermal
-
ECHA IUCLID
LD50
~50000 mg/kg
Mouse
dermal
-
ECHA IUCLID
LD50
=28300 mg/kg
Rat
oral
-
ECHA IUCLID
LD50
=21400 mg/kg
Mouse
oral
-
ECHA IUCLID
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
0.4%
DPRA Lys %
1.2%
KeratinoSens IC50
2000 µM
hCLAT CV75
5000 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
72%
NESIL
46552 µg/cm²
LLNA: NC (non-sensitizer)GHS: not classifiedHuman: positive
Source: LLNA: Gerberick et al. (2005); DPRA: Hoffmann et al., 2018; KS: No reference provided in NICEATM database; hCLAT: No reference provided in NICEATM database; HPPT: [27] Kligman AM (1966): https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.1966.160
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
2 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
Test Type
N
Sensitized
Dose µg/cm²
NESIL µg/cm²
Potency
HMT
-
0
46551.72
-
-
OECD_DA_Human
-
0
-
-
Non-sensitizer
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
EU CosIng Annex Listing
European Commission CosIng database Annex references per Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
Annex II — Prohibited
Ref: 338
(EC) 2009/1223
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
SA Saudi SFDA (II - Prohibited)
ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (II)
Ref: 338
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
Brazil: Prohibited
India: Prohibited (GNRAS)
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (4)
Jurisdiction
Status
Max %
Product Type
IN
banned
-
all cosmetics
CA
banned
-
-
ASEAN
banned
-
All cosmetic products prohibited
KR
prohibited
-
-
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (3)
Carcinogen Classification
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
ICSC Safety Card
0459
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Skin irritation can develop at the site where DMSO is applied topically.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (5)
JECFA Number
507
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE | 1999 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 896-JECFA 53/32 | FAS 44-JECFA 53/125
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
METHYL SULFOXIDE | 1999 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 896-JECFA 53/32 | FAS 44-JECFA 53/125
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
METHYLSULFINYLMETHANE | 1999 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 896-JECFA 53/32 | FAS 44-JECFA 53/125
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
DMSO | 1999 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 896-JECFA 53/32 | FAS 44-JECFA 53/125
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Flavouring and nutrientFragranceSolvent
Regulatory List Membership (4)
EU Banned in CosmeticsIFRA Fragrance Transparency ListFDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for DMSO.
DMSO has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. 3 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Is DMSO allowed in the EU?
DMSO EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: II/338. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does DMSO do in cosmetics?
DMSO functions as: Solvent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 67-68-5.
What is the NOAEL for DMSO?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for DMSO is =500 mg/kg bw/day based on a repeat dose other study via injection route in Rat. A total of 3 study endpoints are available. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is DMSO classified as hazardous under GHS?
DMSO carries a GHS signal word of "WARNING". Hazard statements: Combustible liquid. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is DMSO used outside cosmetics?
DMSO also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
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