Methylene blue is an organic chloride salt having 3,7-bis(dimethylamino)phenothiazin-5-ium as the counterion.
Definition
Methylene blue is an organic chloride salt having 3,7-bis(dimethylamino)phenothiazin-5-ium as the counterion. A commonly used dye that also exhibits antioxidant, antimalarial, antidepressant and cardioprotective properties. It has a role as an antioxidant, an antimicrobial agent, a physical tracer, an antidepressant, an EC 3.1.1.8 (cholinesterase) inhibitor, an antimalarial, an EC 1.4.3.4 (monoamine oxidase) inhibitor, an acid-base indicator, a fluorochrome, a neuroprotective agent, a histological dye, a cardioprotective agent and an EC 4.6.1.2 (guanylate cyclase) inhibitor. It contains a 3,7-bis(dimethylamino)phenothiazin-5-ium.
Source: PubChem
US FDA substance register · UNII 8NAP7826UB · registered name METHYLENE BLUE ANHYDROUS · single chemical substance
Cosmetic roles
Safety & regulatory references
- Banned
- Argentina · ASEAN · Brazil · China · European Union · South Korea · Taiwan · United Kingdom
- Allowed colourant
- United States
Source: ASEAN Cosmetic Directive · EU Cosmetics Regulation · MFDS (Korea) cosmetic regulatory information · Taiwan FDA cosmetic ingredients · UK cosmetics regulations (OPSS) · US FDA prohibited and restricted ingredients
Not classified under Korea’s toxic-substance GHS list · existing chemical substance
EU Cosmetics Regulation, Annex II (prohibited substances), entry 1306
Restriction II/1306
Source: EU CosIng ingredient list
More data — names, identifiers, properties, test records, literature
Official labels & definitions
JCIA labelling name 塩基性青９: 本品は、次の化学式で表される頭髪用色素である。
Source: JCIA labelling names (Japan)
Names & identifiers
- CAS No.chemical registry number
- 61-73-4
- EC No.EU chemical inventory number
- 200-515-2
- DTXSIDUS EPA chemical ID
- DTXSID0023296
- DTXCIDUS EPA compound ID
- DTXCID803296
- IUPAC
- 3,7-Bis(dimethylamino)phenothiazin-5-ium chloride
- Molecular formula
- C16H18ClN3S
- Molecular weight
- 319.85 g/mol
Measured properties
- Appearance
- Dark green crystals or powder with a bronze-like luster, Solutions in water or alcohol are deep blue, [ChemIDplus] · Dark green crystals or powder from chloroform-ethyl ether
- Odour
- Slight odor
- Melting point
- 100 to 110 °C (with decomposition) · 100-110 °C (decomposes)
- Solubility
- In water, 43,600 mg/L at 25 °C. · Soluble in water
- Stability
- Stable under recommended storage conditions.
- Vapour pressure
- 0.00000013 ㎜Hg (@ 25 ℃, est.)
- Water solubility
- 43600 ㎎/ℓ (@ 25 ℃)
- Vapour density
- 11.04
- n-Octanol/water partition coefficient (Kow)
- 5.85 (est.)
- Decomposition temperature
- 105 ℃
- Molecular weight
- 319.85
Values measured on the substance itself. The KOSHA data are a reference for writing and reviewing safety data sheets, not a specification for a commercial raw material.
Source: PubChem · KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
What products actually use it for
What the 5 products reported to the US EPA with this ingredient use it for. Products outside cosmetics are included, so the top few rows are its main uses.
- Dye5
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Related literature
Linked databases 24
- ASEAN Cosmetic Directive
- Australian Industrial Chemicals Inventory (AICIS)
- ChEBI
- ChEMBL
- EU CosIng ingredient list 2
- EU Cosmetics Regulation
- EU prohibited substances (Annex II)
- JCIA labelling names (Japan)
- Korea toxic substances GHS register (NIER)
- KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
- MFDS (Korea) cosmetic regulatory information 2 3
- NIST Chemistry WebBook
- PubChem 2
- Taiwan FDA cosmetic ingredients
- Tlooto literature search
- UK cosmetics regulations (OPSS)
- UniChem cross-reference IDs
- US EPA CompTox dashboard 2
- US EPA DSSTox chemical database
- US FDA prohibited and restricted ingredients
- US FDA substance registration (GSRS)
- US FDA Unique Ingredient Identifier (UNII)
- Wikidata
- Wikipedia · Korean · English · Japanese · Chinese