Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
17:35
A Microplate Assay to Assess Chemical Effects on RBL-2H3 Mast Cell Degranulation: Effects of Triclosan without Use of an Organic Solvent
Published on: November 1, 2013
TOXICITY OF CERTAIN WIDELY USED ANTISEPTICS.
1Laboratories of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research.
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Toxicity testing reveals that eucalyptol and brilliant green are the most toxic antiseptics. Due to its high toxicity, eucalyptol is not recommended for use with dichloramine-T.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Toxicology
- Antiseptic Efficacy
Background:
- Antiseptics are crucial in preventing infections.
- Understanding the comparative toxicity of various antiseptics is essential for safe clinical application.
- Previous methods for assessing antiseptic toxicity may have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the relative toxicity of common antiseptics when administered intraperitoneally in mice and guinea pigs.
- To evaluate the suitability of eucalyptol as a solvent for dichloramine-T.
- To assess the safety of using these antiseptics via injection into closed cavities.
Main Methods:
- Intraperitoneal injection of various antiseptic substances into mice and guinea pigs.
- Comparative analysis of toxicity based on observed effects.
- Evaluation of alternative solvents for antiseptic formulations.
Main Results:
- Antiseptics ranked by decreasing toxicity: eucalyptol and brilliant green; mercurophen; mercuric chloride and chloramine-T; dichloramine-T and proflavine; hypochlorites (hychlorite, Dakin's, Javelle, magnesium); iodine and phenol.
- Eucalyptol demonstrated significantly higher toxicity compared to chlorcosane as a vehicle for dichloramine-T.
- All tested antiseptics showed greater toxicity than iodine and phenol in mice and guinea pigs, suggesting caution for cavity injections.
Conclusions:
- Eucalyptol should be avoided as a solvent for dichloramine-T due to its high toxicity.
- The intraperitoneal toxicity ranking provides a guide for antiseptic selection.
- Subcutaneous injection is an unsatisfactory method for toxicity testing due to variable absorption.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Hand hygiene
Asepsis is the practice of preventing or breaking the chain of infection. The nurse employs aseptic techniques to prevent the spread of microorganisms and reduce the risk of diseases. Hand hygiene is the cornerstone of aseptic techniques and is classified into medical and surgical asepsis. Medical asepsis includes hand hygiene and the use of gloves. Surgical asepsis, or the sterile technique, refers to practices that render and keep objects and areas free of microorganisms.
Hand washing...
Hand washing...
01:27Chemical Agents for Microbial Control
Chemicals play important roles in controlling microbial growth by targeting microbial structures and functions as sanitizers, antiseptics, disinfectants, and sterilants.Alcohols are commonly used sanitizers, effectively disrupting lipid membranes, which compromises cell integrity. They are also used as antiseptics and disinfectants due to their rapid action and versatility.Phenols and their derivatives phenolics , known for denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, are particularly...
01:26Toxic Reactions: Overview
When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
01:28Antimicrobial Effectiveness
The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
01:12Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects
While local anesthetics are generally safe and well-tolerated, they can occasionally cause adverse effects that vary in severity. Local anesthetics can induce toxicity at two distinct levels. They can either produce local effects through direct contact with the neural elements or be absorbed into the bloodstream from the injection site, leading to systemic effects.
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
01:24Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions
Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...