Triclocarban, Triclosan, Bromochlorophene, Chlorophene, and Climbazole Effects on Nuclear Receptors: An In Silico and In Vitro Study

The study from October 2020 investigated the endocrine-disrupting potential of five preservatives—triclocarban, triclosan, bromochlorophene, chlorophene, and climbazole—using in silico and in vitro methods. The in silico analysis predicted the binding of these chemicals to nuclear receptors, and the in vitro assays using cell-based luciferase reporter assays confirmed their activities on androgen, estrogen, glucocorticoid, and thyroid receptors. Triclocarban acted as an agonist for AR and ERα at 1μM and as an antagonist for GR at 5μM and TR at 1μM. Triclosan showed antagonist effects on AR, ERα, GR at 10μM, and TR at 5μM. Bromochlorophene was an antagonist at 1μM for AR and TR and at 10μM for ERα and GR. Chlorophene had AR antagonist activity (IC50=2.4μM), ERα agonist activity at concentrations greater than 5μM, and TR antagonist activity at 10μM. Climbazole demonstrated AR antagonist (IC50=13.6μM), ERα agonist at concentrations greater than 10μM, and TR antagonist activity at 10μM. These results indicate that these preservatives may disrupt endocrine function, necessitating further assessment of their health and environmental risks.