BASF’s non-ionic solubilizer and emulsifier for the production of semi-solid and liquid formulations of water-insoluble actives and other hydrophobic compounds.
Kolliphor® EL is used as a non-ionic oil-in-water emulsifier and/or solubilizer. This established product demonstrates very good compatibility with other ingredients, and can be used with fat-soluble vitamins and essential oils, or as a purified solubilizer in paclitaxel formulations.
| Chemical Name: | Polyoxyl castor oil |
| Former trade name: | Cremphor® EL |
| CAS-No: | 61791-12-6 |
| INCI: | PEG-35 Castor Oil |
| Chemical nature: | Kolliphor® EL is a nonionic solubilizer and emulsifier made by reacting castor oil with ethylene oxide in a molar ratio of 1 : 35. |
| Composition: | The main component of Kolliphor® EL is glycerol polyethylene glycol ricinoleate. Together with fatty acid esters of polyethylene glycol, this forms the hydrophobic part of the product. The smaller hydrophylic part consists of free polyethylene glycols and ethoxylated glycerol. |
| Description: | Kolliphor® EL is a pale yellow oily liquid that is clear at temperatures above 26 °C. It has a faint but characteristic odor. |
| Solubility: | Kolliphor® EL forms clear solutions in water. It is also soluble in many organic solvents, e.g. ethyl alcohol, n-propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, toluene and xylene. In contrast to anionic emulsifying agents, Kolliphor® EL becomes less soluble in water at higher temperatures. Thus, aqueous solutions become turbid at a certain temperature. Kolliphor® EL is miscible with all the other Kolliphor grades and, on heating, also with fatty acids, fatty alcohols and certain animal and vegetable oils. It is thus miscible with oleic and stearic acids, dodecyl and octa-decyl alcohols, castor oil, and a number of lipid-soluble substances. |
| Regulatory Status: | Kolliphor® EL meets the requirements of the current Ph. Eur. monograph Macrogolglycerol ricinoleate. It also conforms with the latest edition of the USP/NF monograph Polyoxyl 35 Castor Oil. |
