Metrohm UK has developed a system to analyse some of antiseptic active compounds when they are actually bonded into other wound care products such as bandages or gels
The use of disinfectants and antiseptics in the treatment of human wounds seems to have arisen from the observation that certain substances stopped putrefaction of meat or rotting of wood.
John Pringle apparently first used the term 'antiseptic' (Greek for 'against putrefaction') in 1750 to describe substances that prevent putrefaction.
The idea was eventually applied to the treatment of suppurating wounds.
Mercuric chloride was used by Arabian physicians in the Middle Ages for preventing sepsis in open wounds.
However, it was not until the nineteenth century that antiseptics came into general use in medicine.
Chlorinated soda, essentially hypochlorite, was introduced in 1825 for the treatment of infected wounds, and the tincture of iodine was first introduced in 1839.
These pioneer attempts at antisepsis were not generally accepted until Pasteur's publication in 1863 of the microbial origin of putrefaction.
This led to an understanding of the origin of infection and suggested the rationale for its prevention.
As so often in the history of medicine a change of practice depended on the persistence of one man.
For antiseptics, this man was John Lister.
He chose phenol and applied it vigorously in surgery.
A 2.5% solution was used for dressing wounds and twice that concentration for sterilising instruments.
The effect of Lister's practices was revolutionary and the antiseptic technique opened the way to great surgical advances.
Even at this time of about 1870, the use of antiseptics was still empirical.
Since that time, antiseptics have seen steady but unspectacular improvement.
Many of the traditional antiseptics have had continued use in refined forms.
The phenols have been modified and made more acceptable for general use.
Simplistically, antiseptics bind readily to bacteria, and kills the bacteria, usually by penetrating the cell and bringing about extensive ill-defined disruption of normal cellular functions.
So far as is known, the first use of iodine in medical practice was as a remedy for bronchocele (or Goiters).
The first specific reference to the use of iodine in wounds was made in 1839.
Iodine was officially recognised by the Pharmacopeia of the United States in 1830.
In studies up to 1874, iodine was found to be one of the most efficacious antiseptics, a notion that is still valid today.
The adverse side effects of iodine, its painfulness in open wounds, and the possibility of allergic reactions have led to the production of many great iodine compounds with the aim of avoiding these complications without much loss of germicidal efficiency.
Iodophors finally succeeded as ideal forms of application In recent years cationic antiseptics have proved popular.
This classification covers a number of compounds differing considerably in chemical type.
One of the best and most widely used of the cationic antiseptics is chlorhexidine, which has two strongly basic groups.
An important feature of its action is the strong binding of chlorhexidine to the tissues in the mouth including the teeth with subsequent slow release, which maintains an antibacterial action over an extended period (1).
Other antiseptics include products containing (among many others); alcohols, phenols and quaternary ammonium compounds.
Analysis of these active ingredients is important to ensure correct manufacture and dosing levels of these products.
815 Robotic Titration Soliprep is a system for the fully automated preparation of solid samples that have to be reduced in size and brought into solution.
815 Robotic Titration Soliprep offers fast and comfortable homogenization and titration of solid samples.
Up to 59 samples with a volume between 50 and 100ml can be processed in one run.
The sample is weighed into the beaker and placed on the sample rack.
The built-in membrane pump adds any aqueous solvents required, while an additional Dosino can be used for adding organic solvents.
This is followed by particle size reduction with the Polytron 1300 D, whose cutting tool is available with or without protruding cutters.
After homogenisation the sample is titrated at the other work station while the Polytron's cutting tool is cleaned at the external rinsing station.
After the titration, electrode and beaker are also automatically emptied and cleaned.
Any remaining solid particles are aspirated simply and rapidly with the 772 pump unit.
The whole preparation and titration system is controlled by the well-proven tiamo titration software, which offers not only flexible control but also an excellent database for managing the titration data produced.
The Robotic Soliprep family comprises three packages that cover different sample preparation steps.
The core of the system always is the 815 Robotic USB Sample Processor XL, which is equipped with the accessories required for the sample preparation concerned.
Analysis time is quick (typically 3-5 minutes) with excellent reproducibility.
