Database/Anti-Seborrheic/Zinc Pyrithione
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Zinc Pyrithione natural?

Mostly not. A zinc (mineral, natural) complex of pyrithione, a fully synthetic petrochemical pyridine-based ligand.

INCI nameZinc Pyrithione
CAS13463-41-7
FormulaC10H8N2O2S2Zn · 317.7 Da
FunctionAnti-Seborrheic · Anti-Sebum
FeedstockMade by complexing a zinc salt (mineral-derived) with…

How we scored it

Zn(C5H4NOS)2: Zn 65Da natural (mineral) + 2x pyrithione ligand C5H4NOS 252Da petrochemical (synthetic pyridine heterocycle) → 65/318 = 0.21.
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

Made by complexing a zinc salt (mineral-derived) with 2-mercaptopyridine-N-oxide (pyrithione), a synthetic heterocycle built from petrochemical pyridine. No natural route exists for the organic ligand.

In plain English

A zinc compound combined with a synthetic sulfur/nitrogen ring molecule (pyrithione). Used in anti-dandruff shampoos and skin products to control flaking and oil, and as a preservative.

CosIng definition: Zinc Pyrithione is the aromatic zinc compound

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Structure

2D structure of Zinc Pyrithione

zinc bis(1-oxidopyridin-1-ium-2-thiolate)

PubChem CID 26041 ↗

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. 2Zinc Pyrithione. PubChem CID 26041. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ZINC PYRITHIONE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ZINC PYRITHIONE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ZINC%20PYRITHIONE