Squalane is a bioactive substance, a saturated oil derived from squalene that is found in shark liver oil, vegetable oils and human sebum. EU Directive 2003/15/EC reduced the use of squalane from animal sources and manufacturers of this oil now obtain it from plant sources including olive oil and sugar cane.

It occurs as a colourless or slightly amber coloured transparent viscous liquid. Soluble in oil, ether, benzene, chloroform. Slightly soluble in ethanol, methanol, acetic acid and acetone.

What it is used for and where

Medical

It can be used in nanostructured lipid formulations for drug delivery (1) and also as an adjuvant in non-mineral oil vaccines as it has the ability to improve oil function with low reactogenicity and good stability. Used as an ingredient in suppositories.

Cosmetics

A very stable emollient and moisturising agent that has a remarkable ability to penetrate and impart flexibility to human skin and increase the absorption of other active substances.

Squalane studies

Typical optimal commercial product characteristics Squalano

Appearance	Transparent viscous liquid
Assay	≥98.0%
Boiling Point	470.3±0.0 °C at 760 mmHg
Melting Point	−38 °C
Flash Point	217.8±0.0°C
Density	0.8±0.1 g/cm3
Specific Gravity (at 20°C)	0.810-0.820
Chromaticity	≤0.4%
Index of Refraction	1.448
Vapour Pressure	0.0±0.5 mmHg at 25°C
LogP	15.59
Iodine	≤3.5%
Insoluble impurities	≤0.1%
Residue of solvents	0.8%
Saponification	≤0.5 mg KOH/g
Pb	≤20ppm
Arsenic	≤2.0ppm
Peroxide	≤3.0 mmol/kg
Safety

• Molecular Formula  C₃₀H₆₂
• Linear Formula    [(CH₃)₂CH(CH₂)₃CH(CH₃)(CH₂)₃CH(CH₃)CH₂CH₂-]₂
• Molecular Weight     422.8
• Exact Mass    422.485138
• CAS  111-01-3
• UNII    GW89575KF9
• EC Number   203-825-6
• DSSTox Substance ID  DTXSID0046513
• IUPAC  2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyltetracosane
• InChI=1S/C30H62/c1-25(2)15-11-19-29(7)23-13-21-27(5)17-9-10-18-28(6)22-14-24-30(8)20-12-16-26(3)4/h25-30H,9-24H2,1-8H3  
• InChl Key      PRAKJMSDJKAYCZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
• SMILES   CC(C)CCCC(C)CCCC(C)CCCCC(C)CCCC(C)CCCC(C)C
• MDL number  MFCD00008953
• PubChem Substance ID    24854038
• NSC   6851
• RTECS   XB6070000
• Beilstein     776019
• NACRES  NA.22

Synonyms:

• 2,6,10,15,19,23-Hexamethyltetracosane
• Dodecahydrosqualene
• Perhydrosqualene

References_________________________________________________________________

(1) Graves RA, Ledet GA, Nation CA, Pramar YV, Bostanian LA, Mandal TK. Effect of squalane on mebendazole-loaded Compritol® nanoparticles. J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2015;26(13):868-80. doi: 10.1080/09205063.2015.1061351.