Moderate Active Ingredient NOAEL Data Sensitization Data

Zinc Pyrithione

INCI: ZINC PYRITHIONE

CAS Number
13463-41-7
Function
Anti-dandruff active; preservative (historical EU)
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status prohibited
EU Max Conc. 0%
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes FDA OTC Monograph M032: 0.3โ€“2% rinse-off for dandruff control

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
moderate
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

8 study endpoints found for Zinc Pyrithione. 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 0.5 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
LOAEL 1.39999997616 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 11 mg/kg bw/day oral primate Subchronic COSMOS_DB
LOAEL 22 mg/kg bw/day oral primate Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 0.20000000298 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
LOAEL 1 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 0.5 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
LOAEL 1.5 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB

SCCS NOAEL Values

NOAEL/LOAEL values cited in official SCCS opinions for Zinc Pyrithione.

NOAEL LOAEL Route Species Study DA% (SCCS) Opinion
2.5 mg/kg/day 5 mg/kg/day Oral Rat Subchronic (90-day) (90 days (gavage)) 100 SCCS/1614/19 (2020)
1 mg/kg/day 5 mg/kg/day Oral Rat Subchronic (90-day) (90 days) 100 SCCS/1512/13 (2013)

Sensitization Profile

Contact sensitization data for Zinc Pyrithione based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.

Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
preservative
EU Allergen Listed
no
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.3%
Cross-reactivity Group
none
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis

Source: ESSCA; IVDK; NACDG

Expert Verdict

Banned in EU as of March 2022 due to CMR 1B reproductive toxicity status under CLP Regulation with no exemption granted under Art.15(2). Remains an FDA-approved OTC active in the US at 0.3โ€“2% rinse-off. Do not use in EU-market products.

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Concern Level: High

Regulatory Flags

eu-banned cmr-1b reproductive-toxicant otc-drug-us

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zinc Pyrithione safe in cosmetics?

Banned in EU as of March 2022 due to CMR 1B reproductive toxicity status under CLP Regulation with no exemption granted under Art.15(2). Remains an FDA-approved OTC active in the US at 0.3โ€“2% rinse-off. Do not use in EU-market products. The EU classifies Zinc Pyrithione as "prohibited". Safety rating: MODERATE. 8 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Zinc Pyrithione allowed in the EU?

Zinc Pyrithione EU regulatory status: prohibited. Maximum allowed concentration: 0%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Zinc Pyrithione do in cosmetics?

Zinc Pyrithione functions as: Anti-dandruff active; preservative (historical EU). It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 13463-41-7.

What is the Margin of Safety for Zinc Pyrithione?

adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

What is the NOAEL for Zinc Pyrithione?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Zinc Pyrithione is 0.5 mg/kg bw/day based on a Chronic study via oral route in rat. A total of 8 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

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