What is propofol made of?

What are the main ingredients in propofol?

Propofol is an injectable medicine whose active drug is the compound propofol. The formulation also includes oil-based ingredients and other additives to keep it stable and help it dissolve for IV use.

What’s in the “base” of the injection?

In most standard formulations, propofol is made with:
- A soybean oil/egg-based lipid emulsion (oil component used to dissolve propofol for injection)
- Water for injection
- Glycerol (a solvent component in the emulsion)
- Egg lecithin (an emulsifier used in many propofol products)
- Sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid (used to adjust pH)

Why does propofol contain oils or egg-derived components?

Because propofol is not very soluble in water, manufacturers use a lipid emulsion system (oils plus emulsifiers like egg lecithin) so it can be delivered through a vein as a uniform mixture.

Is propofol “made of” one chemical or many?

The active ingredient is one chemical: propofol. But the injectable product is a mixture (the propofol dissolved in a lipid emulsion plus solvents, emulsifiers, and pH adjusters).

What matters for people with allergies?

The most common allergy-relevant issue people ask about is the presence of egg/soy components in the emulsion used in many propofol formulations. If you’re asking because of a known allergy, the safest next step is to check the exact brand’s prescribing information (different products and regions can vary).

Sources

1. https://www.drugs.com/propofol.html