A Complete Introduction On How Phenol Has Helped The Healthcare Industry?

Posted by Gagan Singh on July 13th, 2019

Phenol is a mildly acidic organic compound that was initially produced from coal tar but is now made from petroleum for commercial purposes. Phenol is considered to be an important industrial commodity as it is used in the manufacturing of other compounds such as plastics, resins and other chemicals. The oldest use of phenol as an independent compound can be traced to the 1860s when it was used as an antiseptic in medical treatment. Phenol made a major impact in the field of medicine at the time, as it drastically reduced the risk of death from wound infections. Since then, there have been more applications of phenol in the healthcare industry, increasing the demand for phenol at a global level. 

The global phenol market is expected to reach a value of .4 billion by 2022, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.4 percent. The highest demand is from the Asia region, which is projected to grow at a rate of 4.9 percent. Supplier power is high in North America and medium in EU and Asia while buyer power is low in North America and medium in EU and Asia. Major end-user segments leading the demand for phenol and its compounds are the automotive and construction industries. There is an excess supply of phenol in the market, supporting the further rise in demands for phenol from all sectors.

How Phenol Has Helped The Healthcare Industry

Although phenol has been found to be toxic in large doses, in small doses carefully administered it provides many health benefits.

• Phenol is considered to be one of the oldest active antiseptic agents, and while it is no longer used in a pure form as an antiseptic, compounds containing phenol are used. The use of pure phenol as an antiseptic reduced due to the risks of the patient sustaining chemical burns. Carbolic soap containing phenol also has anti-bacterial and antiviral properties making it a popular low-cost disinfectant and soap, often distributed in poverty-stricken areas.

• The antibacterial properties of phenol makes it a useful preservative in vaccines as it helps stop the growth of bacteria that can contaminate vaccine solutions. Vaccines for pneumonia, meningitis, typhoid fever, smallpox and polio all contain forms of phenol compounds. As an active agent stopping the growth of bacteria, phenol has further potential to be used as a vaccine preservative in upcoming vaccines.

• Phenol is also used in the form of a direct injection into the muscles to treat muscle spasticity. The condition of muscle spasticity takes place when the brain is not able to communicate clearly with the spinal cord and nerves due to which the muscles become tight and the ability to walk and talk is impacted. Phenol injections into large muscles help reduce the signals sent from the nerves to muscles that trigger the muscle contractions and allows patients to move easily and have less discomfort. Muscle spasticity may be caused by brain trauma or conditions such as cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s disease.

• Phenol-based compounds are popularly used in oral analgesics and in over-the-counter (OTC) medications to relieve pain and irritation around the mouth area. Phenol based products and throat sprays are also used to treat sore throat symptoms, pharyngitis and throat inflammation from bacterial and viral infections. Throat sprays with phenol act by numbing the throat and relieving pain and irritation symptoms.

• Concentrated phenol is commonly used for treating serious conditions of ingrown toe and fingernails through the procedure of chemical matrixectomy. The phenol concentration is used wherever it is required to destroy a part of a nail or a whole nail and prevent re-growth in the area. The technique, known as phenolization is simple and has been found to be effective in cases of ingrown nails that have not responded to other forms of treatment. Phenol also has a slight anesthetic effect that aids in chemical matrixectomy treatment.

• Apart from direct treatment, phenol is also used in the healthcare industry for research purposes as phenol liquid has been found to be able to separate and isolate DNA, RNA and other proteins in pure form. The separation process is called liquid-liquid extraction and uses phenol and chloroform to separate a solution of cells, based on the solubility of the cells. Phenol is effective due to its pH level. The separated DNA, RNA and proteins are used in a variety of ways by the healthcare industry, for example in diagnostics and monitoring treatment reactions.

Phenol has helped the healthcare industry in a significant manner, from being the first compound used as an antiseptic, to the various ways it's used in treatment and research to this day. Despite being toxic in large doses, phenol in small amounts and phenol-based compounds are useful for treating sore throats, ingrown toenails, and even throat sprays. Although the growth of the phenol market in the coming years is expected to be driven by its applications in the automotive and construction industries, the role of phenol in healthcare is significant.