Ephedrine and its salts
Ephedrine and its salts is listed in Annex II as a prohibited substance for cosmetic products placed on the EU market.
Chemical identity and properties
Ephedrine
(-)-ephedrine is a phenethylamine alkaloid that is 2-phenylethanamine substituted by a methyl group at the amino nitrogen and a methyl and a hydroxy group at position 2 and 1 respectively. It has a role as a sympathomimetic agent, a xenobiotic, a vasoconstrictor agent, a plant metabolite, a bacterial metabolite, a nasal decongestant and an environmental contaminant. It is a member of phenylethanolamines and a phenethylamine alkaloid. It is a conjugate base of a (-)-ephedrinium. — ChEBI
- IUPAC name
- (1R,2S)-2-(methylamino)-1-phenylpropan-1-ol
- Molecular formula
- C10H15NO
- Molecular weight
- 165.23 g/mol
- Exact mass
- 165.115364102 Da
- XLogP3
- 0.9
- Topological polar surface area
- 32.3 Ų
- Hydrogen-bond donors
- 2
- Hydrogen-bond acceptors
- 2
- Covalent units
- 1
- Defined stereocentres
- 2
Also known as
16 more reported names
External database identifiers
- ChEBI:CHEBI:15407
- ChEMBL:CHEMBL211456
- EPA DTXSID:DTXSID0022985
- PubMed:23117432
- PubMed:23066006
- PubMed:23060984
- PubMed:23035903
- PubMed:23023353
- PubMed:23019939
- PubMed:22991817
- PubMed:22991810
- PubMed:22973381
- PubMed:22971501
- PubMed:22965529
- PubMed:22945558
Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.
Record details
Chemical name
Ephedrine and its salts
Chemical / IUPAC name
Benzenemethanol, alpha-((1S)-1-(methylamino)ethyl)-, (alphaR)-
Regulatory information
Key data
Related records for Ephedrine and its salts
Direct matches are limited for this record, so nearby entries from Annex II are shown as well.
Emetine, its salts and derivatives
Disulfiram (INN); thiram (ISO) (INN)
Eserine or physostigmine and its salts
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5,5-Diphenyl-4-imidazolidone (Doxenitoin (INN))
Choline salts and their esters e.g. choline chloride (INN)
Cyclizine (INN) and its salts
Caramiphen (INN) and its salts
Diethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate (Paraoxon - ISO)
What Annex II means for Ephedrine and its salts
Ephedrine and its salts is listed as a prohibited substance under Annex II of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 and must not be intentionally added. Article 17 separately addresses unintended small quantities that are technically unavoidable under good manufacturing practice and compatible with the Article 3 safety requirement.
Formulators must screen their ingredients and raw materials to ensure none contain this substance. Suppliers should provide documentation confirming absence when requested.
The page also surfaces 12 related annex records with overlapping identifiers, annex logic or naming patterns.
Compliance checklist
- Verify this substance is absent from all raw materials and finished formulations.
- Request absence confirmation or CoA from raw material suppliers.
- Document the screening result in the Product Information File (PIF).
Frequently asked questions
Source note for Annex II record Ephedrine and its salts
This page summarizes one Annex II record for Ephedrine and its salts from public European Commission cosmetic materials and adds linked inventory or identifier matches when available.
Use this record page to review Annex II conditions for Ephedrine and its salts, but confirm any final regulatory decision against the current official annex wording and source files.
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