Polyaminopropyl biguanide (PAPB)

Polyaminopropyl biguanide (PAPB) is a synthetic polymer containing biguanide groups connected by propyl (three methylene units) linkers[4][5][2]. It is structurally a propyl analogue of polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) but has significantly lower antibacterial activity compared to PHMB[4][7]. PAPB is mainly used as a preservative, disinfectant, or biocide in cosmetic and industrial applications, but its approval and use have been restricted in the EU and elsewhere due to toxicological safety concerns[2][4]. The chemical is often confused in regulatory and cosmetic databases with polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), and many safety studies attributed to "polyaminopropyl biguanide" are actually based on PHMB[1]. There is no evidence that PAPB acts as a conventional therapeutic target such as a receptor, enzyme, transporter, or signaling protein. Its use is not linked to modulation of disease pathways, but rather to direct antimicrobial activity as a chemical biocide.

Other names

Polyamine propyl biguanideN-(3-aminopropyl)imidodicarbonimidic diamideImidodicarbonimidic diamide, N-(3-aminopropyl)-, homopolymerPAPB