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JAC Advance Access published online on April 12, 2008
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, doi:10.1093/jac/dkn168
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Original research

Interactions of antimicrobial compounds with cross-linking agents of alginate dressings

Cheong Hian Goh, Paul Wan Sia Heng, Esther Pei En Huang, Benny Kai Hui Li and Lai Wah Chan*

Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, 18 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore

Received 27 February 2008; accepted 22 March 2008

* Corresponding author. Tel: +65-6516-3506; Fax: +65-6779-1554; E-mail: phaclw{at}nus.edu.sg

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activities of calcium ions and other cross-linking agents of alginate dressings, as well as their compatibility with commonly used topical antimicrobials.

Methods: The antimicrobial activities of cross-linking agents and antimicrobials (five antibiotics and four antiseptics) were evaluated by the broth dilution method. The interactions between individual cross-linking agents and antimicrobials were evaluated using the chequerboard test against common skin pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Results: From the MIC determined, antibiotics were the most active, followed by the antiseptics and cross-linking agents. Calcium ions, which are commonly used to cross-link alginate, exhibited very weak antimicrobial activity and higher fractional inhibitory concentration than the other cross-linking agents. The use of calcium and gentamicin resulted in antagonism against S. aureus. In contrast, aluminium, zinc and copper ions exhibited higher antimicrobial activities but insignificant interactions with the antimicrobials.

Conclusions: Commonly used topical antimicrobials that are active against the skin pathogens S. aureus and P. aeruginosa could be potentially incompatible with calcium alginate dressings. Copper, zinc and aluminium ions are more suitable cross-linking agents for alginate as they do not show antagonism with the antimicrobials and could impart antimicrobial property to the resultant dressing.

Key Words: wound care , antimicrobials , interaction


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