Sodium tetraborate decahydrate does not have a defined pharmacological target as it is a pharmaceutical excipient and chemical reagent. The compound is used as a buffer in biochemistry, as a fire retardant, anti-fungal compound, and in the manufacture of fiberglass. In pharmaceuticals, it serves as an alkalizing agent and antiseptic. Its primary applications are in industrial and biochemical settings rather than as a therapeutic agent.

No specific in vitro pharmacological activity data are available for Sodium tetraborate decahydrate as a drug candidate. In research settings, the compound is used as a buffer component and chelating agent. Its activity is assessed in terms of buffering capacity and metal ion binding rather than direct biological activity. It is used in antigen-retrieval procedures for immunolabeling.

No specific in vivo pharmacological activity data have been documented for Sodium tetraborate decahydrate as a therapeutic agent. The compound is used as a pharmaceutical aid and excipient. It is generally considered pharmacologically inert at low concentrations. Its applications are limited to formulation and industrial uses.

For non-cellular assays, Sodium tetraborate decahydrate is characterized by standard analytical techniques including titration and physical property testing to confirm identity and purity. The compound can be evaluated for its buffering capacity and metal chelation properties. Typical protocols involve dissolving the compound in water and measuring pH. Solubility: 50 mg/mL in water (need ultrasonic). Purity: typically ≥99%.

For in vitro cell-based studies, Sodium tetraborate decahydrate is not typically used as a direct test compound. It is used as a buffer component in cell culture media and biochemical assays. If handled in a biological laboratory context, standard safety precautions should be taken. The compound should be stored in a tightly closed container in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.

For in vivo animal studies, Sodium tetraborate decahydrate may be used as a formulation excipient. The compound is generally considered safe for use in topical and oral formulations at appropriate concentrations. Dosing and administration follow the specific formulation protocol. Standard animal welfare guidelines should be followed for all in vivo studies.

Absorption, Distribution and Excretion
Male Wistar rats were orally administered 1 mL of borax solution at 11 concentrations (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, and 1000 mg boron/L). Analysis of 24-hour urinary samples showed a reported recovery rate of 99.6 ± 7.9%. These compounds (boric acid and borax) can enter the body through inhalation, ingestion, or absorption via mucous membranes or skin burns. Absorption through damaged skin is rapid and almost complete; absorption through undamaged skin is also possible, but the amount absorbed is insufficient to cause toxicity. Following absorption, boron concentrations increase in cerebrospinal fluid, but are highest in brain, liver, and adipose tissue. Repeated administration has a cumulative effect, with the greatest retention in bone tissue. The drugs are primarily excreted in urine, with smaller amounts excreted in feces, milk, and sweat. Absorption and transport occur primarily through the roots; translocation occurs to the growing parts of the plant.
A carefully designed in vivo human study found that only 0.23%, 0.21%, and 0.12% of saturated doses of boric acid, borax, and sodium octaborate tetrahydrate, respectively, were absorbed.
For more complete data on the absorption, distribution, and excretion of borax (9 types), please visit the HSDB record page.

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Biological half-life
…It is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and excreted in the urine, with a half-life of approximately 24 hours.
…A group of rats (n = 10) were intravenously injected with borax at a dose of 0.4 mg boron/100 g body weight. The reported kinetic parameters are as follows: elimination half-life of 4.64 hours; total clearance of 0.359 mL/min/100 g body weight.

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Sodium tetraborate decahydrate has a molecular weight of 381.37 and formula B₄Na₂O₇·10H₂O. It has a density of 1.73 g/cm³ (20°C), melting point of 75°C, and boiling point of 320°C. Solubility: soluble in water (50 mg/mL). Storage: powder at -20°C for 3 years or 4°C for 2 years. Shipping: room temperature. The compound is odorless and appears as white crystals or crystalline powder.

Interactions
In 4- to 6-week-old rats, co-administration of d-glucose and borax altered the toxicity of borax. The lowest toxicity was observed in mixtures of borax and D-glucose at molar ratios of 1:1.5 and 1:2, with mortality rates decreasing from 100% to 45% and 37.5%, respectively… Borax… forms complexes with polyhydroxy compounds in aqueous solution, leading to altered toxicity. Non-human Toxicity Values Oral LD50 in rats: 396-689 mg boron/kg
Oral LD50 in rats: 5.66 g/kg (SRP: 5,660 mg/kg)
Oral LD50 in mice: 2000 mg/kg
Intraperitoneal LD50 in mice: 2711 mg/kg
For more complete non-human toxicity data for borax (out of 12), please visit the HSDB record page.

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Sodium tetraborate decahydrate is generally regarded as safe for its intended uses. The compound is for research and industrial use only and not for human consumption without regulatory approval. Standard laboratory safety practices should be followed when handling this chemical. Appropriate personal protective equipment including gloves and safety glasses should be worn. Avoid dust generation and accumulation.

[1]. Pharmaceutical excipients - quality, regulatory and biopharmaceutical considerations. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2016 May 25;87:88-99.

Borax is a mineral with the chemical formula Na₂B₄O₅(OH)₄·8H₂O. Its International Medical Association (IMA) symbol is Brx.
See also: Sodium borate (note moved here).
Therapeutic Uses

Borax has a weak antibacterial effect similar to boric acid. It is not suitable for internal use. When used externally, it has a mild astringent effect and has been used in the past as a mouthwash or throat gargle for treating oral ulcers and stomatitis; it has also been used as a wash for treating halitosis and eye inflammation; and it has also been used as a nasal irrigator.
Borax glycerin and borax honey have been used in the past as ointments for the throat and tongue to relieve dry mouth, but overuse can lead to poisoning and therefore should not be used. /Borax glycerin and borax honey/
Borax was used to treat 31 patients with skeletal fluorosis. Over a three-month period, the dosage of borax was gradually increased from 300 mg/day to 1100 mg/day, with a one-week break each month. The experimental criteria included observing symptoms, joint mobility, and other signs, as well as the excretion of urinary fluoride and boron tetrafluoride. Data from patients receiving borax treatment were compared with those from a control group that did not receive borax treatment. The results showed that borax was effective. Clinically, sodium borate and boric acid have been used as rinsing agents, dressings, disinfectants, buffers, and antiseptics. Experimental treatments: Sodium borate and boric acid have been used or tested for medical purposes in many countries. In Japan, … after applying analgesics, spraying 5% sodium borate onto the skin forms a transparent, flexible, and waterproof film. … In India, a long-acting (4-month) oral contraceptive formulated with “Indian medicine” and 25% sodium borate has been reported; this drug is reported to work by inhibiting endometrial alkaline phosphatase and preventing implantation of the egg. … In Russia, oral sodium borate is used to treat patients with hepatic encephalopathy to remove accumulated pathological copper from the body.

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Drug Warning
Borax and boric acid used in powders and ointments have caused serious poisoning and death.

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Sodium tetraborate decahydrate (CAS 1303-96-4) is also known as borax, sodium borate decahydrate, and disodium tetraborate decahydrate. It is used as a buffer in biochemistry, as a fire retardant, anti-fungal compound, in the manufacture of fiberglass, as a flux in metallurgy, and as a pharmaceutical aid. No therapeutic claims exist for the compound itself.

B4H20NA2O17

381.37

382.086

1303-96-4

16211214

White, monoclinic crystals
Hard crystals, granules or crystalline powder; efflorescent in dry air, the crystals often being coated with white powder
Crystalline granules or crystalline powder
White, crystalline solid [Note: Becomes anhydrous at 608 degrees F]

1.73 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)

320°C

75 °C (decomposes) ; 167 °F ; 167 °F

10

17

0

23

121

0

B1([O-])OB2OB([O-])OB(O1)O2.[Na+].[Na+].O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

CDMADVZSLOHIFP-UHFFFAOYSA-N

InChI=1S/B4O7.2Na.10H2O/c5-1-7-3-9-2(6)10-4(8-1)11-3;;;;;;;;;;;;/h;;;10*1H2/q-2;2*+1;;;;;;;;;;

disodium;3,7-dioxido-2,4,6,8,9-pentaoxa-1,3,5,7-tetraborabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane;decahydrate

2934.99.9001

Powder      -20°C    3 years

                     4°C     2 years

In solvent   -80°C    6 months

                  -20°C    1 month

Room temperature (This product is stable at ambient temperature for a few days during ordinary shipping and time spent in Customs)

H2O: 50 mg/mL (131.11 mM)

Note: Listed below are some common formulations that may be used to formulate products with low water solubility (e.g. < 1 mg/mL), you may test these formulations using a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples.

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Injection Formulation 1: DMSO : Tween 80： Saline = 10 : 5 : 85 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO stock solution → 50 μL Tween 80 → 850 μL Saline)
*Preparation of saline: Dissolve 0.9 g of sodium chloride in 100 mL ddH ₂ O to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 2: DMSO : PEG300 ：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 3: DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL Corn oil)
Example: Take the Injection Formulation 3 (DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90) as an example, if 1 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can take 100 μL 25 mg/mL DMSO stock solution and add to 900 μL corn oil, mix well to obtain a clear or suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

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Injection Formulation 4: DMSO : 20% SBE-β-CD in saline = 10 : 90 [i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL (20% SBE-β-CD in saline)]
*Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C，1 week): Dissolve 2 g SBE-β-CD in 10 mL saline to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 5: 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin : Saline = 50 : 50 (i.e. 500 μL 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin → 500 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 6: DMSO : PEG300 : castor oil : Saline = 5 : 10 : 20 : 65 (i.e. 50 μL DMSO → 100 μLPEG300 → 200 μL castor oil → 650 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 7: Ethanol : Cremophor : Saline = 10： 10 : 80 (i.e. 100 μL Ethanol → 100 μL Cremophor → 800 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 8: Dissolve in Cremophor/Ethanol (50 : 50), then diluted by Saline
Injection Formulation 9: EtOH : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 900 μL Corn oil)
Injection Formulation 10: EtOH : PEG300：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)

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Oral Formulation 1: Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na (carboxymethylcellulose sodium)
Oral Formulation 2: Suspend in 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Example: Take the Oral Formulation 1 (Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na) as an example, if 100 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can first prepare 0.5% CMC Na solution by measuring 0.5 g CMC Na and dissolve it in 100 mL ddH2O to obtain a clear solution; then add 250 mg of the product to 100 mL 0.5% CMC Na solution, to make the suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

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Oral Formulation 3: Dissolved in PEG400
Oral Formulation 4: Suspend in 0.2% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 5: Dissolve in 0.25% Tween 80 and 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 6: Mixing with food powders

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Note: Please be aware that the above formulations are for reference only. InvivoChem strongly recommends customers to read literature methods/protocols carefully before determining which formulation you should use for in vivo studies, as different compounds have different solubility properties and have to be formulated differently.

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 (Please use freshly prepared in vivo formulations for optimal results.)