PARABENS have a "high hazard" rating amongst the most common cosmetic ingredients. It is used as a fragrance and preservative in thousands of products worldwide, which is unsettling since it has also been linked to the development of cancers, allergies and endocrine disruption. Here are some 'Paraben' data we think every consumer should know: This ingredient has been linked to: Cancers Developmental/reproductive toxicity Violations, restrictions & warnings by the FDA Allergies/immunotoxicity Contamination concerns Endocrine disruption concerns Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) Sources of Studies & Research European Commission on Endocrine Disruption finds: Endocrine disruption, Human disruptor - strong evidence One or more studies show endocrine system disruption at low doses:RTECS®- Environmental Research 1997 One or more studies show endocrine system disruption at low doses:RTECS®- Journal of Applied Toxicology (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 2003 One or more studies show weak endocrine disruption:Byford JR, Shaw LE, Drew MG, Pope GS, Sauer MJ, Darbre PD, 2002 One or more animal studies show endocrine system disruption at high doses:RTECS®- Journal of Applied Toxicology (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 2003 Multiple, additive exposure sources type of concern product conditions reference Used in food or as an additive with limited or no toxicity information available FDA Everything Added to Food Developmental/reproductive toxicity type of concern product conditions reference One or more animal studies show reproductive effects at very low doses RTECS®- Environmental Research 1997 show more One or more animal studies show reproductive effects at low doses RTECS®- Environmental Research 1997 Cancer type of concern product conditions reference One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results RTECS®- Mutation Research 2002 Neurotoxicity type of concern product conditions reference One or more animal studies show brain and nervous system effects at moderate doses RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya 1986 show more One or more animal studies show brain and nervous system effects at moderate doses RTECS®- Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Scientific Edition 1956 Government, industry, academic studies and classifications government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s) FDA Everything Added to Food 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID • There is reported use of the substance, but it has not yet been assigned for toxicology literature search. Byford JR, Shaw LE, Drew MG, Pope GS, Sauer MJ, Darbre PD, 2002 PARABENS •Hormonally active (parabens) Harvell, J, 1994 PARABENS •Skin or sense organ toxicity hazards: suspected European Commission on Endocrine Disruption P-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID •Evidence of endocrine disrupting activity in at least one species using intact animals, high human health concern. •No evidence of endocrine disrupting activity or no data available. Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List BENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY- •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. RTECS®- Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Therapie 1960 PARABEN • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) RTECS®- Drug Standards 1952 PARABEN • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) RTECS®- Environmental Research 1997 PARABEN • reproductive - Uterus, cervix, vagina (mouse TDLo) • endocrine system - Changes in uterine weight (mouse TDLo) RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya 1986 PARABEN • liver - Changes in liver weight (rat TDLo) • brain and nervous system - Muscle weakness (rat LD50) • kidney or renal system - Other changes (rat TDLo) RTECS®- Gigiena Truda i Professional'nye Zabolevaniya 1984 PARABEN • metabolic - Weight loss or decreased weight gain (rat TDLo) • kidney or renal system - Changes in tubules (including acute renal failure, acute tubular (rat TDLo) • liver - Other changes (rat TDLo) RTECS®- Journal of Applied Toxicology (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 2003 PARABEN • endocrine system - Changes in uterine weight (mouse TDLo) RTECS®- Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Scientific Edition 1956 PARABEN • brain and nervous system - Ataxia (mouse LD50) • brain and nervous system - Flaccid paralysis without anesthesia (usually neuromuscular blockage) (mouse LD50) • brain and nervous system - Somnolence (general depressed activity) (mouse LD50) RTECS®- Mutation Research 2002 PARABEN • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (hamster lng) RTECS®- Mutation Research 2002 PARABEN • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (hamster lng)