Pharmaceutical Uses of Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is also named rubbing alcohol or IPA. This alcohol is used in several processes in the pharmaceutical field. Six of these methods are as a precursor, disinfectant, solvent, preservative, extractant and coolant.

Precursor

• Isopropyl alcohol is a cheap precursor in manufacturing other pharmaceuticals. A precursor is a chemical used as a starting material that converts into other chemicals. Many pharmaceuticals contain longer chain alcohols built from isopropyl alcohol. According to Scorecard, these chemicals include acetone, glycerol and isopropyl acetate.

Disinfectant

• Disinfectant is a major use of isopropyl alcohol. Liquid at room temperature, isopropyl alcohol is applied to pharmaceutical equipment to quickly reach down pits and crevices. Rubbing alcohol is toxic to many organisms and destroys bacteria and fungi. It then evaporates, leaving no harmful residue on the equipment.

Solvent

• According to Dow Chemical, isopropyl alcohol's most common use is as a solvent, and its second most common use is as a precursor. In a chemical reaction, the liquid that contains the reactants is called the solvent. Like ethanol and water, isopropyl alcohol is a polar solvent, so it mixes completely with these substances and the solution remains clear and unclouded. However, this mixing characteristic can create a safety risk because isopropyl alcohol is toxic.

Preservative

• The toxicity and dehydrating effect of isopropyl alcohol make it a useful preservative. The liquid does not evaporate if it is kept in a tightly sealed container. Tinted glass containers, including green and brown jars, limit reactions caused by sunlight.

Extractant

• In pharmaceuticals, it's necessary to extract chemicals from a plant or animal. The extracts can be combined into a usable dose of medicine, or studied so that the chemical reaction to produce a specific substance may be found. Recall that isopropyl alcohol is polar, so it is much easier to extract other polar chemicals from a biological source. It is also easier to extract liquids using IPA.

Coolant

• Isopropyl alcohol has a lower boiling point than water, so it will evaporate quickly, drawing off heat. This is a plus for pharmaceutical recipes, which call for a specific temperature or range of temperatures.