Allergic contact dermatitis caused by an antiseptic containing cetrimide

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds and Contact Dermatitis: A Review and Considerations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The recent global pandemic has resulted in increased use of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). Currently, QACs are active ingredients in 292 disinfectants recommended by the US EPA for use against SARS-CoV-2. Among QACs, benzalkonium chloride (BAK), cetrimonium bromide (CTAB), cetrimonium chloride (CTAC), didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), cetrimide, quaternium-15, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), and benzethonium chloride (BEC) were all identified as potential culprits of skin sensitivity. Given their widespread utilization, additional research is needed to better classify their dermal effects and identify other cross-reactors. In this review, we aimed to expand our knowledge about these QACs to further dissect its potential allergic and irritant dermal effects on healthcare workers during COVID-19.

Periodontal effects of two innovative oral rinsing substances in oncologic patients

Chemotherapy often presents side effects, including oral adverse effects that may interfere with the completion of the oncology treatment, threatening the outcome of the treatment and significantly affecting the quality of life of the patient. The aim of the present study was to evaluate two antiseptic, antimicrobial and antifungal substances that may be used in order to achieve improved oral hygiene and to lower the prevalence of side effects during chemotherapy. Patients were randomly divided into three groups: Placebo, oral rinse with cetrimide and mouth coating with a pharmacy-made compound (nystatin, neomycin and metronidazole). Their oral hygiene and periodontal parameters were determined at baseline and 14 days of use. It was revealed that the most effective clinical results were achieved in the group that used cetrimide mouth rinse that highlighted the best improvements of parameter values, whereas the control and coating-using group did not obtain statistically significant improvements. Cetrimide oral rinse was demonstrated to be an efficient adjunct method in achieving better oral hygiene and improved periodontal parameters in chemotherapy patients. The present study offers an alternative to the commonly used compounds that may present unwanted side effects in patients during chemotherapy, it promotes the importance of good oral hygiene in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced oral adverse effects and improves the quality of life of the patient.

Lipophilic Arginine Esters: The Gateway to Preservatives without Side Effects

This study hypothesized that long carbon chain cationic arginine (Arg) esters can be considered as toxicologically harmless preservatives. Arg-esters with C₁₈ and C₂₄ carbon chains, namely, arginine-oleate (Arg-OL) and arginine-decyltetradecanoate (Arg-DT), were synthesized. Structures were confirmed by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, and mass spectroscopy. Both Arg-esters were tested regarding hydrophobicity in terms of log P_{octanol/water}, critical micelle concentration (CMC), biodegradability, cytotoxicity, hemolysis, and antimicrobial activity against Escherichiacoli (E. coli), Staphylococcusaureus (S. aureus), Bacillussubtilis (B. subtilis), and Enterococcusfaecalis (E. faecalis). Log P_{octanol/water} of arginine was raised from −1.9 to 0.3 and 0.6 due to the attachment of C₁₈ and C₂₄ carbon chains, respectively. The critical micelle concentration of Arg-OL and Arg-DT was 0.52 and 0.013 mM, respectively. Both Arg-esters were biodegradable by porcine pancreatic lipase. In comparison to the well-established antimicrobials, benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and cetrimide, Arg-esters showed significantly less cytotoxic and hemolytic activity. Both esters exhibited pronounced antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria comparable to that of BAC and cetrimide. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Arg-esters was <50 μg mL^–1 against all tested microbes. Overall, results showed a high potential of Arg-esters with long carbon chains as toxicologically harmless novel preservatives.