Docosanol, also known as behenyl alcohol, is a saturated fatty alcohol used traditionally as an emollient, emulsifier, and thickener in cosmetics,[3][4][5] and nutritional supplement (as an individual entity and also as a constituent of policosanol).
More recently, docosanol has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a pharmaceutical antiviral agent[6] for reducing the duration of cold sores caused by the herpes simplex virus in the OTC medication Abreva.[7]