Phenolsulfonic acid

Phenolsulfonic acid is an organic compound consisting of a benzene ring substituted with both a hydroxyl group and a sulfonic acid group. It is used primarily as an ingredient in topical agents for the treatment of ulcerating oral mucosal lesions such as recurrent aphthous stomatitis (canker sores). In pharmaceutical products like Debacterol, it acts as a chemical cautery agent that destroys cells at the application site—including nerve endings—providing pain relief and promoting healing. Phenolsulfonic acid also possesses antimicrobial properties and has been used in deodorants to inhibit microbial growth on the skin. Its mechanism of action in topical oral applications is local tissue destruction (chemical cauterization), not antiseptic or anesthetic activity.

Other names

sulfonated phenolicso-phenolsulfonic acidsodium p-phenolsulfonate dihydrate