title: A new silver sulfadiazine water soluble gel.
abstract: Silver sulfadiazine is the most commonly used topical antibacterial agent for the treatment of burn wounds. It has many clinical advantages, including a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, low toxicity, and minimal pain on application. The current formulation of silver sulfadiazine contains a lipid soluble carrier, polypropylene glycol, that has certain disadvantages, including pseudo-eschar formation and the need for twice daily application. The purpose of this investigation was to describe a new formulation of silver sulfadiazine in a water soluble gel, poloxamer 188. The antibacterial activity of this new gel has been compared to that of the commercially available silver sulfadiazine cream by in vitro and in vivo testing. The results of the in vitro antibacterial testing of these two different agents demonstrated the superiority of the new gel formulation. In experimental wounds, the antibacterial activity of the gel and the commercially available silver sulfadiazine cream were not significantly different when applied once a day. The antibacterial activity of the gel when applied once a day was comparable to that encountered by twice daily applications of the silver sulfadiazine cream by experimental wounds. The major advantage of this gel was its ease of application and removal that is attributed to its water solubility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, USA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gear
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Hellewell
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Mazzarese
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Rodeheaver
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Edlich
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012995:Solubility; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D005782:Gels; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine