| petrolatum | <pharmacology> A semisolid unctuous substance, neutral, and without taste or odour, derived from petroleum by distilling off the lighter portions and purifying the residue. It is a yellowish, fatlike mass, transparent in thin layers, and somewhat fluorescent. It is used as a bland protective dressing, and as a substitute for fatty materials in ointments. Petrolatum is the official name for the purified product. Cosmoline and vaseline are commercial names for substances essentially the same, but differing slightly in appearance and consistency or fusibility. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| heavy liquid petrolatum | <chemical> A mixture of liquid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum. It is used as laxative, lubricant, ointment base, and emollient. Pharmacological action: cathartic, emollients, ointment bases. Chemical name: Hydrocarbon oils (12 Dec 1998) |
| hydrophilic petrolatum | Petrolatum composed of cholesterol 30 g, stearyl alcohol 30 g, white wax 80 g, and white petrolatum 860 g, to make 1000 g. Light liquid petrolatum, light mineral oil. White petrolatum, of the same composition as petrolatum except that it is decolorised by treatment with activated charcoal; used for the same purposes as petrolatum. Synonym: white soft paraffin. (05 Mar 2000) |