title: Polihexanide: a safe and highly effective biocide.
abstract: Polihexanide is a broad-spectrum antiseptic with excellent tolerance and a low-risk profile. The physicochemical action on the bacterial envelope prevents or impedes the development of resistant bacterial strains. Thus, polihexanide is particularly suitable and useful in the struggle against multidrug-resistant bacteria. The ecological database is still incomplete. There is some evidence that biodegradation requires adsorption to inert surfaces and that only a small number of bacterial species are capable of utilizing polihexanide.
authors.affiliation: K2 Hygiene Dienstleistungen, Aschaffenburg, Germany. k2-hygiene@t-online.de
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaehn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001645:Biguanides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D006801:Humans; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D012867:Skin; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D001645:Biguanides; D004202:Disinfectants; C031233:polihexanide