Tests under standardized and harmonized conditions help to choose the most efficacious agent. When a prolonged contact time is feasible, ranking of agents would be polyhexanide = octenidine > chlorhexidine > triclosan > PVP-iodine. This is consistent with the recommendations for antisepsis of acute wounds. Polyhexanide seems to be preferable for chronic wounds due to its higher tolerability. If an immediate effect is required, ranking would be octenidine = PVP-iodine>> polyhexanide > chlorhexidine > triclosan.
Octenidine dihydrochloride (octenidine) was introduced for skin, mucous membrane and wound antisepsis more than 20 years ago. Until now, a wealth of knowledge has been gained, including in vitro and animal studies on efficacy, tolerance, safety and clinical experience both from case reports and prospective controlled trials. Nowadays, octenidine is an established antiseptic in a large field of applications and represents an alternative to older substances such as chlorhexidine, polyvidone-iodine or triclosan. The review is based on the current literature and unpublished original data as well.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of octenidine dihydrochloride/phenoxyethanol (OHP) found in vitro by conducting a randomized, double-blind controlled clinical study focusing on its safe and effective use in chronic venous leg ulcers. In total, 126 male and female patients were treated with either OHP (n = 60) or Ringer solution (n = 66). The treatment lasted over a period of maximum 12 weeks. For the assessment of the wound-healing process, clinical outcome parameters were employed, that is, time span until 100% epithelization, wound status and the wound surface area were analysed. Side effects were recorded during the study period. The median time to complete ulcer healing was comparable between the OHP and Ringer solution groups (92 versus 87 days; P = 0·952), without being influenced by wound size or duration of the target ulcer (P-values: 0·947/0·978). In patients treated with OHP, fewer adverse events (AEs) were observed compared with the Ringer group (17% versus 29% of patients reported 20 versus 38 AEs). OHP is well suitable for the treatment of chronic wounds without cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, OHP does not impair the wound healing in chronic venous ulcers.
Cryptoendolithic microorganisms from stratified communities in Antarctic sandstone were studied for physiological diversity and possible interactions. Cultures of 25 bacteria, five fungi, and two green algae from one boulder grew with a wide variety of organic carbon or nitrogen sources, they exhibited varied exoenzymatic activities and were psychrophilic or psychrotrophic. Many isolates excreted vitamins into the medium and were stimulated by other vitamins. Organic acid excretion and siderophore formation were common, but antibiotic activity was rare. Plasmids were found in 24% of the bacteria, and many of these strains showed resistance to antibiotics and heavy metals. A small plasmid (2.9 kb) from strain AA-341 was electrotransferred into sensitive isolates, thereby rendering these resistant to ampicillin and Cr 3÷. Bacterial cultures in spent algal medium and coculture with algae demonstrated beneficial (rarely inhibitory) interactions. A search for free organic compounds in zones of the sandstone community revealed sugars, sugar alcohols, organic acids and amino acids -in many cases the same compounds that were excreted into the laboratory medium. Data presented here indicate low taxonomic but high physiological diversity among these heterotrophic cryptoendoliths. This physiological diversity, as well as the spatial separation in layers with distinct activities, allows coexistence within the community and contributes to the stability of this ecosystem.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.