Liquid paraffin (drug)

Paraffinum liquidum
Liquid paraffin in a bottle
Clinical data
Routes of
administration
Topical, oral
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Identifiers
CAS Number
PubChem SID
ChemSpider
  • none
UNII
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.029.437 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC
n
H
2n+2

Liquid paraffin, also known as paraffinum liquidum, paraffin oil, liquid paraffin oil or Russian mineral oil, is a very highly refined mineral oil used in cosmetics and medicine. Cosmetic or medicinal liquid paraffin should not be confused with the paraffin (i.e. kerosene) used as a fuel. The generic sense of paraffin meaning alkane led to regional differences for the meanings of both paraffin and paraffin oil. It is a transparent, colorless, nearly odorless, and oily liquid that is composed of saturated hydrocarbons derived from petroleum.[1]

The term paraffinum perliquidum is sometimes used to denote light liquid paraffin, while the term paraffinum subliquidum is sometimes used to denote a thicker mineral oil.

  1. ^ Sharif F, Crushell E, O'Driscoll K, Bourke B (August 2001). "Liquid paraffin: a reappraisal of its role in the treatment of constipation". Archives of Disease in Childhood. 85 (2): 121–4. doi:10.1136/adc.85.2.121. PMC 1718886. PMID 11466186.