title: An experimental study on antimicrobial activity of silicone oil in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the antimicrobial activity of silicone oil against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans were prepared to 1 McFarland turbidity, 10(5) and 10(3) CFU/ml. The bacteria and fungi were inoculated into silicone oil (Acri.Sil-ol 5000), physiologic saline, meat extract broth for bacteria and Sabouraud broth for fungi, respectively. From each sample, 10 microl were taken and plated in petri dishes with the addition of blood agar media for bacteria and Sabouraud dextrose agar for fungi. After overnight incubation, CFUs were enumerated. Cultured from the initially prepared specimens, overnight incubation and CFU counting were repeated until no growth of microorganisms was seen in the silicone oil-containing media.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) In the group 1 McFarland, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans survived for 13, 6, 20, and 16 days in silicone oil, respectively, which was shorter than in the other media. (2) In the group 10(5) CFU/ml, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans survived for 2, 6, 20, and 1 days in silicone oil, respectively, which was shorter than in the other media. (3) In the group 10(3) CFU/ml, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans survived for 1, 1, 20, and 1 days in silicone oil, respectively, which was shorter than in the other media.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Silicone oil has a significant antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China. phuayan2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D012827:Silicone Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012827:Silicone Oils