Surfactants chlorhexidine activity

Chlorhexidine salts are cationic in solution and are therefore incompatible with soaps and other anionic materials. Chlorhexidine salts are compatible with most cationic and nonionic surfactants, but in high concentrations of surfactant chlorhexidine activity can be substantially reduced owing to micellar binding. 

Controls were employed to compare emulsions and additives mentioned in the patents to standards and known antibacterial agents such as 6% chlorhexidine diacetate in 70% isopropanol (wt/vol). Nonionic surfactants have no antibacterial activity... 

Some ingredients of eye medications may increase the permeability of the cornea. Surface-active agents are knovm to interact with membranes to increase the permeability benzalkonium chloride has surfactant properties and may well have some effect on comeal permeability, although its primary purpose is as a bacteriostat and bactericide. Chlorhexidine acetate and cetrimide, both of which are surface-active, are also used. 

L Benson, L Bush, D Leblanc. The effects of surfactant systems and moisturizing products on the residual activity of chlorhexidine gluconate handwash using a pigskin substrate. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 11 67-70, 1990. 

Differences in micellar uptake would affect the bactericidal effect of the chlorhexidine formulation the choice of salt and surfactant must, therefore, involve a careful analysis of intrinsic solubilities and activities of the salts and their percentage solubilization in surfactant micelles. 

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