Is PABA safe in cosmetics?
PABA has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: restricted. 4 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
PABA
Also known as: 1-Amino-4-carboxybenzene, BRN 0471605, Caswell No. 033B, EINECS 205-753-0, EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 233300 (+14 more)
PABA (CAS 150-13-0) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Light Stabilizer, Uv Absorber. Reported NOAEL =100 mg/kg bw/d in rat (SCCS_vision_codex); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max II/167. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 150-13-0 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Light Stabilizer, Uv Absorber
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
4-aminobenzoic acid
InChIKey
ALYNCZNDIQEVRV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
II/167
US US Status
Not specifically regulated
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Toxicological Studies
4 study endpoints found for PABA. 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 | =100 mg/kg bw/d | oral | rat | repeated dose toxicity | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg bw/d | oral | rat | repeated dose toxicity | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg bw/d | oral | rat | repeated dose toxicity | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =100 mg/kg bw/d | oral | rat | repeated dose toxicity | SCCS_vision_codex |
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
3
Volume
16, Sup 7
Evaluation Year
1987
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
4.25%
DPRA Lys %
0.25%
KeratinoSens IC50
2000 µM
hCLAT CV75
1000 µg/mL
LLNA EC3
10%
NESIL
15517 µg/cm²
LLNA: Moderate (1B)
GHS: 1B
Human: positive
Source: LLNA: Loveless et al. (1996); DPRA: Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013] | Joint Research Centre of the European Union 2013; KS: Natsch et al. 2013 [DOI:10.1002/jat.2868] | Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013]; hCLAT: No reference provided in NICEATM database | Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013]; HPPT: [27] Kligman AM (1966): https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.1966.160
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
3 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMT | - | 0 | 15517.24 | - | - |
| HMT | - | 0 | 15517.24 | - | - |
| OECD_DA_Human | - | 0 | - | - | Non-sensitizer |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Intermediate
Tonnage Band
Intermediate use only
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: 167
(EC) 2013/344
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)
JPKR Japan/Korea Cosmetics
Japan (Positive (UV Absorber)): max 4.0
Japan (Restricted): max 4.0%
Korea (Restricted): max 5%
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
India: Prohibited (GNRAS)
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (6)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP | restricted | 4.0% | All cosmetics |
| CN | banned | - | - |
| IN | permitted_uv_filter | 5.0 | sunscreen and other cosmetic products |
| BR | permitted_uv_filter | 15 | Sunscreen products; DIFFERENT FROM EU (banned in EU since 2009) |
| ASEAN | permitted_uv_filter | 5% | - |
| KR | prohibited | - | - |
Expanded Dermal Absorption Data
Cross-database dermal penetration: EPA Dryad physics-based, Roberts Mendeley permeation, and SCCS-aggregated measured values.
Aggregated DA Values (3 records across 5 sources)
| Type | DA % | Method | Skin Model | SCCS Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| measured | 14.3% | in_vitro | - | SCCP/0058 |
| measured | 15.0% | - | - | SCCP/0058 |
| measured | 90.0% | in_vivo | - | SCCP/0058 |
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (3)
Carcinogen Classification
para-Aminobenzoic acid | Group 3: Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans | Volume 16: (1978) Some Aromatic Amines and Related Nitro Compounds – Hair Dyes, Colouring Agents and Miscellaneous Industrial Chemicals | Volume Sup 7: Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity: An Updating of IARC Monographs Volumes 1 to 42, 1987; 440 pages; ISBN 92-832-1411-0 (out of print)
Source: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Evidence for Carcinogenicity
Classification of carcinogenicity: 1) evidence in humans: No adequate data; 2) evidence in animals: Inadequate. Overall summary evaluation of carcinogenic risk to humans is Group 3: The agent is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans. /From table/
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Derivatives of PABA, benzophenone, cinnamic acid, and salicylate and 2-phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid have caused skin irritation including burning, stinging, pruritus, and erythema on rare occasions. /Sunscreens/
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Flavouring and nutrient
No specific technical function
UV stabilizer
Regulatory List Membership (4)
EU Banned in Cosmetics
EU Regulated in Personal Care
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for PABA.
Regulatory Flags
cosing-sourced
eu-restricted
uv-filter
needs-enrichment
eu_banned_cosmetics
fda_food_additive
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to PABA by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
4
Lowest NOAEL
100 mg/kg bw/d
Highest NOAEL
100 mg/kg bw/d
SCCS_vision_codex
Dermal Absorption
View details ->| Absorption % | Method | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 14.3% | in_vitro | - |
| 15.0% | - | - |
| 90.0% | in_vivo | - |
Known Synonyms
1-Amino-4-carboxybenzene
BRN 0471605
Caswell No. 033B
EINECS 205-753-0
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 233300
Super Shade by Coppertone
UNII-TL2TJE8QTX
4-Aminobenzoate
Acido p-aminobenzoico
Acidum paraminobenzoicum
Amben
Aminobenzoate
Aminobenzoic acid
Aniline-4-carboxylate
Kyselina p-aminobenzoova
PAB
Pabagel
Pabanol
Papacidum
Chemical Function
UV stabilizer
Flavouring and nutrient
No specific technical function
Regulatory Lists
banned; Europe; Personal care
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Canada; pharmaceutical
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Europe; Personal care
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
AMINOBENZOIC ACID
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL542
Max Phase
-1
Adverse Event Associations
715
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PABA allowed in the EU?
PABA EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: II/167. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does PABA do in cosmetics?
PABA functions as: Light Stabilizer, Uv Absorber. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 150-13-0.
What is the NOAEL for PABA?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for PABA is =100 mg/kg bw/d based on a repeated dose toxicity study via oral route in rat. A total of 4 study endpoints are available. Source: SCCS_vision_codex.
Is PABA used outside cosmetics?
PABA also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check PABA compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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