WHY
MICROCYDE PRODUCTS WORK
Microcyde™
Skin Cleaner and Lotion use a high potency concentration of parachlorometaxylenol
(PCMX) as the active ingredient. PCMX is a membrane active biocide.
The active ingredient attacks and penetrates the cell then reacts
with the proteins and enzymes of that cell and reduces it to a non-viable
condition in 15 to 30 seconds. The death of the pathogen occurs
so quickly that it doesn't have the opportunity to mutate into a
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resistant form.
The PCMX concentration of the Skin Cleaner is
1.80% while the concentration of PCMX in the Lotion is 1%. The Lotion
also includes a 2% concentration of Nonoxonol-9 (a known virucide).
These levels of concentration provide for a quick and efficient
killing of pathogens.
Why
Triclosan Based Antimicrobials Don't Perform Well
The level
of active ingredient in most Triclosan based antimicrobials is between
0.2 and 0.4%. The use of such a small level of the active ingredient
is aimed at keeping the cost of the product low (for competitive
reasons) and still meeting the minimal FDA requirement. This "marketing
tactic" does not effectively address the serious risks we face from
deadly infections.
Triclosan
works against cell growth in a way that is similar to the way antibiotics
work. Both are biostats. They interfere with the reproductive mechanisms
of the cell. This process takes about six generations and approximately
two hours. During this time the cells develop a mechanism to
defeat the invading biostats. The surviving cells then develop
into new resistant forms and render the biostat ineffective
for future use against that new form of organism. Currently, many
bacteria have been shown to be entirely resistant to the effects
of Triclosan. Triclosan is not effective against viruses.
This is of increasing concern among infection control professionals.
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