The Effect of Pure Soaps on the Bactericidal Properties of Phenolic Germicides

Physical Methods of Sterilization of Microörganisms

“…When surfaceactive substances are added to a disinfectant solution, they may decrease its germicidal efficiency. Hampil (1928) obtained such marked inhibition of the bactericidal action of various phenols by the addition of soap as to indicate the impossibility of producing a germicidal soap by incorporating s;mall quantities of a phenolic compound. As an example may be given the concentration of butyl resorcinol required to kill Staphylococcus aureus between 1 and 2 minutes at different soap concentrations: % Na oleate................ 0 0.2 0.5 1.0 3.0 5.0 % disinfectant required ............ <0.05 0.067 0.1 0.2 0.5 0.5…”

Solubilized Systems in Pharmacy

“…For many years (6), surface-active agents have been used as a means of producing aqueous solutions of phenols, and as early as 1928 Hampil (7) observed that certain soaps reduced the antimicrobial activity of phenol. It was only after World War 11, however, when nonionic surfactants of low systemic toxicity became commercially available, that surfactants began to be widely used in pharmaceutical practice to prepare solubilized systems, particularly those intended for internal use.…”