Name: Palmitic Acid
CAS No: Hexadecanoic acid [57-10-3]
BP: Palmitic Acid PhEur: Palmitic Acid USP-NF: Palmitic Acid
Acidum palmiticum; cetylic acid; Edenor C16 98-100; Emersol 140; Emersol 143; n-hexadecoic acid; hexadecylic acid; Hydrofol; Hystrene 9016; Industrene 4516; Lunac P-95; NAA-160; 1- pentadecanecarboxylic acid.
Hexadecanoic acid [57-10-3]
C16H32O2 256.42
Palmitic acid is used in oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations. Palmitic acid has been used in implants for sustained release of insulin in rats.(1,2)
Palmitic acid occurs as white crystalline scales with a slight characteristic odor and taste.
See Table I.
Boiling point 351–3528C; 271.58C at 100mmHg Flash point >1108C Melting point 63–648C Solubility Soluble in ethanol (95%); practically insoluble in water. Specific gravity 0.849–0.851.
The bulk material should be stored in a well-closed container in a cool, dry, place.
Palmitic acid is incompatible with strong oxidizing agents and bases.
Palmitic acid occurs naturally in all animal fats as the glyceride, palmitin, and in palm oil partly as the glyceride and partly uncombined. Palmitic acid is most conveniently obtained from olive oil after removal of oleic acid, or from Japanese beeswax. Synthetically, palmitic acid may be prepared by heating cetyl alcohol with soda lime to 2708C or by fusing oleic acid with potassium hydrate.
Palmitic acid is used in oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations and is generally regarded as nontoxic and nonirritant at the levels employed as an excipient. However, palmitic acid is reported to be an eye and skin irritant at high levels and is poisonous by intravenous administration. LD50 (mouse, IV): 57 mg/kg(3)
Observe normal precautions appropriate to the circumstances and quantity of material handled. When palmitic acid is heated to decomposition, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are formed.
GRAS listed. Included in the FDA Inactive Ingredients Database (oral tablets). Included in nonparenteral medicines licensed in the UK.
Lauric acid; myristic acid; palmitin; sodium palmitate; stearic acid. Palmitin Empirical formula C51H98O6 Molecular weight 807.29 CAS number [555-44-2] Refractive index nD 25 = 1.4381 Specific gravity 0.886 Solubility Soluble in benzene, chloroform, and ether; practically insoluble in ethanol (95%) and in water. Sodium palmitate Synonyms Hexadecanoic acid sodium salt; palmitic acid sodium salt; sodium hexadecanoate. Empirical formula C16H31O2Na Molecular weight 278.47 CAS number [408-35-5] Melting point 283–2908C Comments Sodium palmitate is used as a surfactant and emulsifying agent in pharmaceutical formulations. The EINECS number for sodium palmitate is 206-988-1.
A specification for palmitic acid is included in the Food Chemicals Codex(4) and in the Japanese Pharmaceutical Excipients 2004 (JPE).(5) The EINECS number for palmitic acid is 200-312-9. The PubChem Compound ID (CID) for palmitic acid is 985.