Acetophenone

Acetophenone occurs in essential oils only at very low concentrations. Available data does not indicate significant risk.

Skin. Human patch testing at 2 percent showed no irritation and no sensitization. Guinea pigs tested at 20 percent showed no sensitization.

Oral. Acute oral LD50 in rats is 3.2 g/kg, a high value typical of low-toxicity compounds. Rats fed at 1,000 to 10,000 ppm for 17 weeks showed no adverse effects.

Genotoxicity. Acetophenone was non-mutagenic in the Ames test.

Acetophenone has been extensively studied in animals. In rabbits and dogs it is metabolized through two parallel pathways. Reduction yields a secondary alcohol. Oxidation yields benzoic acid and hydroxylated derivatives.

Commercial acetophenone is produced synthetically at industrial scale for fragrance, pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications. It was historically used as a sedative.

The related compound benzophenone is used to block UV light in sunscreen products.