title: Effects of topical chlorhexidine applied to the rabbit nasal mucosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To search the effects of administration of various concentrations of a wide-spectrum antimicrobial agent, chlorhexidine, to the nasal mucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  About 0.20, 0.12, 0.06 and 0.03% concentrations of chlorhexidine gluconate were applied to the rabbit nasal mucosa as one puff twice a day throughout 5 days. Another group, treated with serum saline to the nose, behaved as the control group. On the fifth day following drug administration, specimens were taken from nasal mucosa of the rabbits and examined under light microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As a result of comparison between drug treated group and control group, with increasing drug concentrations progressively increased neutrophil infiltration in mucosa, ciliary loss in cells, and occasional metaplasia were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a linear, positive and strong association between concentrations of chlorhexidine and its irritative effects on rabbit nasal mucosa. While 0.20 and 0.12% concentrations of chlorhexidine cause excess irritation on the nasal cavity, 0.06 and 0.03% concentrations of chlorhexidine gluconate causes lower irritation and effects on the animals which have experimentally induced rhinosinusitis must be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical Faculty Yüzüncü Yil University, 65200 Van, Turkey. hcankaya2@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cankaya
authors.forename: Süleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.forename: Faruk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kiroğlu
authors.forename: Veysel
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yurttaş
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002925:Ciliary Motility Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine