The use of gluconolactone and sodium benzoate together as a preservative system has, 1. a wide range of global regulatory acceptance, 2. Broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, 3. ECOCERT/COSMOS-accepted. 4.NATRUE- approved and Soil Association-approved, 5. added moisturization benefit, and 6. anti-inflammatory properties. This safe and efficacious preservative system with skin benefits compares to others such as phenoxyethanol that is toxic and easily penetrates the skin into the blood.
Sodium Benzoate
Cinnamon contains a major compound, cinnamaldehyde, which is converted into cinnamic acid by oxidation. In the liver, this cinnamic acid is β-oxidized to benzoate (Abd El-Mawla et al., 2001) that exists as sodium salt (NaB) or benzoyl-CoA. As a safe metabolite of cinnamon, sodium benzoate (NaB), is a widely-used food preservative and a FDA-approved drug against urea cycle disorders in humans, found to increase the levels of neurotrophic factors [e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3)] in the CNS (Jana et al, 2013). So safe is NaB that it is approved as an injectable for certain brain diseases (Misel et al, 2013).
NaB is of medical importance as it is a component of Ucephan, a FDA-approved drug used in the treatment for hepatic metabolic defects associated with hyperammonemia such as urea cycle disorder in children (Leonard and Morris, 2002; Scaglia et al., 2004). It is also widely used as a preservative in broad range of foods and cosmetic products (Nair, 2001). It is non-toxic and can be administered as a solution in drinking water. One study reported that a 2% solution of NaB in drinking water is safe for lifelong treatment in mice without any measurable negative side effects (Toth, 1984). Recent studies have found that NaB is capable of modulating both innate and adaptive immune responses (Brahmachari and Pahan, 2007; Brahmachari et al., 2009; Brahmachari and Pahan, 2010), several studies finding that NaB in switching the balance of Th cell subsets toward anti-inflammatory Th2 and Tregs types (Brahmachari et al, 2007; Rezaei et al, 2016). Inflammatory cytokines found in arthritis were also found to be decreased with NaB using in vitro models (Bemani et al, 2020).
NaB is not only efficacious as an antimicrobial preservative and as an immune modulator, but it is also safe – it does not convert to benzene under the conditions of use as a cosmetic or food preservative as told by some ignorent people I’ve heard talk about the subject. This was a concern back in the 1990s, but was cleared as a problem in the 2000s. Those initial reports from the FDA that small amounts of benzene were in soda drinks has now been found to be in error, as the FDA has said, “the TDS [FDA’s Total Diet Study lab] benzene results appeared to be unreliable.” Benzene formation in the analytic techniques used by the FDA’s TDS lab in Kansas were the culprit, along with contamination (FDA Report, 02/25/2022).
Gluconolactone
In nature, GLA can be found in honey, tofu, cheese, wine, bread, fruit juices, among others, and as an approved food additive
Gluconolactone (GDL) is anti-inflammatory by enhancing in vitro induced (i)Treg differentiation and function, and in imiquimod-induced autoimmunity in mice, treatment with GDL alleviates inflammation by inhibiting TH17 cells (Li et al, 2025).
In patients suffering from cutaneous lupus erythematosus, topical application of a GDL-containing cream controlled skin inflammation and improved the clinical and histologic appearance of the skin lesions within 2 weeks (Li et al, 2025).
GLA exhibits antioxidant and moisturizing effects. It protects elastin fibers from UV-induced degradation (Jarząbek-Perz et al, 2023).
NaB and GLA Compared to Phenoxyethanol
Compared to anti-inflammatory and non-toxic NaB and GLA, phenoxyethanol (PE) is known to be toxic to epithelial cells (Wang et al, 2020). At concentrations equal to and/or less than those dosages approved for human use, PE significantly decreased the signaling activity of the Akt pathway in epithelial cells within 30 min, and induced their atrophy and death within 24 h of exposure. Further, PE is known to penetrate the skin when topically applied, having a dermal resorption rate of about 45% in humans – meaning 45% of PE applied topically travels through the skin into the blood (Eckert et al, 2025).
Summary
The use of gluconolactone and sodium benzoate together as an antimicrobial preservative system for skin care not only provides safe and effective, broad-spectrum effects, the combination also provides substantial skin care benefits, including moisturization, UV protection, and anti-inflammatory effects. Carefully choosing every ingredient we put into our products is one reason why NeoGenesis products are safe and efficacious.
References
Abd El-Mawla AM, Schmidt W, Beerhues L. Cinnamic acid is a precursor of benzoic acids in cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum L. but not in cell cultures of Centaurium erythraea RAFN. Planta. 2001;212:288–293.
Brahmachari S et al (2007) Sodium Benzoate, a Food Additive and a Metabolite of Cinnamon, Modifies T Cells at Multiple Steps and Inhibits Adoptive Transfer of Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis1. J Immunol 1 July 2007; 179 (1): 275–283.
Bemani P et al (2020) In Vitro Effects of Sodium Benzoate on the Expression of T Cells-related Cytokines and Transcription Factors in Adjuvant-induced Arthritis Model. Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol, May2020; 19(Supple.1):43-54.
Jarząbek-Perz S, Dziedzic M, Rotsztejn H, Kołodziejczak A. Evaluation of the effects of 10% and 30% gluconolactone chemical peel on sebum, pH, and TEWL. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023; 22: 3305-3312.
Jana A, Modi KK, Roy A, Anderson JA, van Breemen RB, Pahan K. Up-regulation of neurotrophic factors by cinnamon and its metabolite sodium benzoate: therapeutic implications for neurodegenerative disorders. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2013 Jun;8(3):739-55.
Misel ML, Gish RG, Patton H, Mendler M. Sodium benzoate for treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2013 Apr;9(4):219-27
Rezaei N, Amirghofran Z, Nikseresht A, Ashjazade N, Zoghi S, Tahvili S, Kamali-Sarvestani E. In Vitro Effects of Sodium Benzoate on Th1/Th2 Deviation in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Immunol Invest. 2016 Oct;45(7):679-91.
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