Is Valproic Acid safe in cosmetics?
Valproic Acid has a safety rating of "POOR" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: permitted. 4 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Valproic Acid
Also known as: VPA, Pentanoic acid, 2-propyl-, 2,2-Di-n-propylacetic acid, Depakine-chrono, Sigma V 0033000 (+15 more)
INCI: VALPROIC ACID
Valproic Acid (CAS 99-66-1) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as None in cosmetics — pharmaceutical anticonvulsant/mood stabilizer. Reported NOAEL =90 mg/kg bw/day in Dog (ECHA); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 99-66-1 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Valproic Acid is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H302, H315, H318, H319, H335, H360, H336, H362).
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
None in cosmetics — pharmaceutical anticonvulsant/mood stabilizer
Safety Rating
POOR
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
2-propylpentanoic acid
InChIKey
NIJJYAXOARWZEE-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Prescription drug only. Listed on CA Prop 65 as developmental toxicant. Not permitted in cosmetics
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Valproic Acid.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
4 study endpoints found for Valproic Acid. 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 | =90 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Dog | chronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =203 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | chronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =341 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | chronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =416 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | chronic | ECHA |
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
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
Carcinogen Classification
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
Endocrine Disruptors
Potential endocrine disrupting compound
Source: NORMAN Suspect List Exchange
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Pharmaceutical
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory List Membership (1)
California Proposition 65 (OEHHA)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Valproic Acid.
Regulatory Flags
prop65
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Valproic Acid by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
4
Lowest NOAEL
90 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
416 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
VPA
Pentanoic acid, 2-propyl-
2,2-Di-n-propylacetic acid
Depakine-chrono
Sigma V 0033000
2-Propan-1-ylpentanoic acid
44089
Abbott 44090
BRN 1750447
Di-n-propylacetic acid
EINECS 202-777-3
Acide valproique
Acido valproico
Acidum valproicum
UNII-614OI1Z5WI
Stavzor
(N-C3H7)2CHCOOH
(S)-2-propyl-4-pentanoate
(S)-2-propyl-4-pentanoic acid
2-Propyl-Pentanoate
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Pharmaceutical
Regulatory Lists
pharmaceutical
OEHHA Proposition 65 (3/2019)
OEHHA Proposition 65 (1/2023)
pharmaceutical
Europe; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Valproic Acid allowed in the EU?
Valproic Acid EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Valproic Acid do in cosmetics?
Valproic Acid functions as: None in cosmetics — pharmaceutical anticonvulsant/mood stabilizer. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 99-66-1.
What is the NOAEL for Valproic Acid?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Valproic Acid is =90 mg/kg bw/day based on a chronic study via oral route in Dog. A total of 4 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is Valproic Acid used outside cosmetics?
Valproic Acid also appears in industrial chemical safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Valproic Acid have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Valproic Acid is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H302, H315, H318, H319, H335, H360, H336, H362).
Compliance Tools
Check Valproic Acid 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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