Chlorphenesin is a centrally acting muscle relaxant

Muscle relaxant

A muscle relaxant is a drug which affects skeletal muscle function and decreases the muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle spasms, pain, and hyperreflexia. The term "muscle relaxant" is used to refer to two major therapeutic groups: neuromuscular blockers and spasmolytics...

 used to treat muscle pain and spasm

Spasm

In medicine a spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ, or a similarly sudden contraction of an orifice. It is sometimes accompanied by a sudden burst of pain, but is usually harmless and ceases after a few minutes...

s.

It also has antifungal

Antifungal

* Antifungal medication, a medication used to treat fungal infection s such as athlete's foot , ringworm, candidiasis, etc.* Antifungal protein, a protein family* an adjective referring to a fungicide compound...

 and some antibacterial properties and is thus classified as an antifungal for topical use by the WHO.

Safety

The adverse effects from this preservative on skin is allergic contact sensitivity

Allergy

An Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid...

.

Chemistry

Chlorphenesin, 3-(4-chlorophenoxy)-1,2-propanediol, is synthesized in the same manner as methocarbamol

Methocarbamol

Methocarbamol is a central muscle relaxant used to treat skeletal muscle spasms...

from 3-(4-chlorophenoxy)-1,2-propanediol.