Database/Antimicrobial/Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Chlorhexidine Digluconate natural?

Mostly not. Chlorhexidine is a fully synthetic chlorophenyl biguanide antiseptic; the two gluconic-acid counter-ions come from glucose fermentation and are natural.

INCI nameChlorhexidine Digluconate
CAS18472-51-0
FormulaC34H54Cl2N10O14 · 897.8 Da
FunctionAntimicrobial · Oral Care
FeedstockChlorhexidine base is synthesised from petrochemical 4-chloroaniline and…

How we scored it

Chlorhexidine 505 Da (synthetic bis-chlorophenyl biguanide, petrochemical) + 2 gluconic acid 392 Da (fermentation, natural) = 898 Da; 392/898 = 0.44.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Chlorhexidine base is synthesised from petrochemical 4-chloroaniline and cyanoguanidine, then neutralised with gluconic acid made by fermenting glucose (e.g. via Aspergillus niger). A hybrid synthetic/fermentation salt.

In plain English

An antiseptic salt used to reduce bacteria on skin and in the mouth. Its active antimicrobial portion is fully synthetic, paired with gluconic acid, a fermentation product of sugar.

CosIng definition: Chlorhexidine Digluconate is a salt of Chlorhexidine and gluconic acid. It conforms generally to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of Chlorhexidine Digluconate

(1E)-2-[6-[[amino-[(E)-[amino-(4-chloroanilino)methylidene]amino]methylidene]amino]hexyl]-1-[amino-(4-chloroanilino)methylidene]guanidine;bis((2R,3S,4R,5R)-2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexanoic acid)

PubChem CID 9552081 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Chlorhexidine Digluconate. PubChem CID 9552081. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CHLORHEXIDINE DIGLUCONATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CHLORHEXIDINE DIGLUCONATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CHLORHEXIDINE%20DIGLUCONATE