Cetrimide

As a pharmaceutical ingredient, it is used as an active in various products mainly for topical use in sprays, gels, and creams for a range of purposes, where it helps cleaning burns and wounds, disinfecting skin before injections or surgery, and treating fungal infections or nappy rash.

It also acts as an antimicrobial preservative, keeping pharmaceutical formulations free from microbial contamination, ensuring patient safety.

Cetrimide products

FeF Cetrimide Ph.Eur.

Contains approx. 99% active ingredient and consists of

• Trimethyl tetradecyl ammonium bromide

FeF Strong Cetrimide Solution 40% BP Pharma with ethanol

Contains approx. 40% active ingredient and 7.5% v/v ethanol. The active ingredient consists of

• Dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (approx. 20%)
• Trimethyl tetradecyl ammonium bromide (approx. 70%)
• Hexadecyl Trimethyl ammonium bromide (approx. 10%)

FeF Strong Cetrimide Solution 40% BP Pharma with isopropyl alcohol

Contains approx. 40% active ingredient and 7.5% v/v isopropyl alcohol. The active ingredient consists of

• Dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (approx. 20%)
• Trimethyl tetradecyl ammonium bromide (approx. 80%)

Cetrimide Applications

Antiseptic agent

A various number of hospital antiseptic solutions are used for both hand disinfection and instrument disinfection. Effective concentrations of Quats in these products are usually ranging between 0,5% and 3%. Concentrated solutions for further dilution can contain between 5% and 15% Quats. Novo Nordisk Pharmatech’s Cetrimide (Strong Cetrimide) and Benzalkonium Chloride are widely used in these formulations, where Cetrimide is often combined with chlorhexidine.

Find more information about antiseptic agents

Diagnostic test and analysis

Diagnostic reagent applications necessitate products with very exact specifications. In a number of diagnostic reagents, the level of impurity in the raw material may lead to intolerable variations in the performance of the reagent.

Novo Nordisk Pharmatech’s Quats are proven to be notably superior in diagnostic reagents compared to other less pure compounds. Cetrimide and CTAB are for instance utilized in the purification process of heparin.  Additionally, Cetrimide is employed in special reagents, for example for the counting of blood cells (Bakers reagents).

Find more information about diagnostic testing and analysis

Topical formulations

It is crucial to use the purest and safest ingredients for formulations that are making contact with healthy or damaged epithelial tissue.

Our Cetrimide is frequently found in antiseptic creams used in the treatment of nappy rash, eczema, psoriasis, acne, and other dermatoses at concentrations varying from 0.1 to 1%.

Find more information about topical formulation

Dental treatment

Cetrimide also provides a positive reaction within the area of oral and dental treatment. A conducted study reported that after 14 days of 1% Cetrimide application, the viability of Enterococcus faecalis in an infected human dentine model was significantly reduced in comparison with 2% CHX gel and calcium hydroxide paste.

Read more about the study and the results in this article

Uniform quality

Our registered trademarked Quats products, including FeF® Cetrimide products, have proven efficacy against a broad spectrum of microorganisms (gram + and – & acid fast bacteria, yeast, moulds). They are effective through a wide pH range, are surface active/adhesive cationic agents and do not add unpleasant odour/colour to finished formulations.

The uniform quality of our products – and of our customers’ products – is ensured by our efficient quality management systems, dedicated equipment, well established processes and rigorous laboratory on-site quality control.

What is the difference between Cetrimide and CTAB (Cetrimonium Bromide)

From a chemical point of view, Cetrimide and CTAB have very similar characteristics. However, the one difference is that we manufacture Cetrimide using an amine with 14 carbons (C14) and CTAB is made using an amine with 16 carbons (C16). Both quats have the same properties, but CTAB is less adsorbent and a bit less soluble than Cetrimide.

Cetrimide is commonly used in Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and Africa whereas CTAB is more common in North America. Cetrimide is described in monographs in BP and PhEur, but not in USP/NF. On the contrary, CTAB is only described in the USP/NF.