Ask A Scientist© Chemistry Archive

name        Yvonne S.
status      other
age         40s

Question -  As a distributor of Beneve Co. of Oregon, we have a
antibacterial lotion that acts as a sheild against multiple
bacteria,virus,and disease. The active ingredient is TriclosanTM. This
lotion, once dry forms a polymer film that has a bactericidal action,and
continues killing for up to 4 hours.
Have you heard of this? Can you verify that this product is valid in your
professional opinion?
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Yvonne,

Go the the URL shown below for information on Triclosan. I question the
"polymer film" characterization.

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/jan2000/948068271.Mi.r.html

Regards,
ProfHoff 289
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Make sure that "TM" doesn't mean "trade mark". I'm not in a position to
give a "professional opinion"; however, if you do a web search on the term
"triclosan" you will find a bundle of sites and links on the subject. I
checked the search engine www.google.com and found many "hits" on the
substance. Then you can make your own assessment of the effectiveness.

Vince Calder
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has always contained Triclosan and has advertised as killing bacteria.  It's
a pretty well known antibacterial agent.

vanhoeck
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If you have any doubts relative to the antibacterial/virucidal efficacy of
this item, you should withdraw it from the market at once!  In making these
claims, the product becomes a drug, subject to the rules and regulations of
the FDA.  You should have, in your hands, the reports from FDA-certified
microbiology labs that detail the extent of your product's antimicrobial and
virucidal efficacies.  The product must be manufactured and evaluated under
FDA GMP and GLP standards.  In answer to your original question, if the good
folks at FDA are satisfied with your micro lab's efficacy reports, etc.,
then the rest of us in the scientific community should go along with it as
well.  The proof is in the data.  (Never claim anything that the data from a
properly-regulated study does not support.)  Otherwise, see sentence 1.
Tim Spry
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Triclosan is a common disinfectant used in products such as deodorant soap
and toothpaste. If it is contained in a lotion, it will continue to act as
a bactericide until it washes or wears off. The triclosan itself won't form
a polymer film. Most likely, the lotion contains a polymer such as
PEG-2000. Technically, when the lotion dries, it will be a "polymer film",
but not in the sense of a monolithic penetration-resistant barrier.

Without knowing anything else about the formulation of the product, I can
guess that it probably will work as a disinfectant. The "polymer film"
designation is probably misleading. However, I reserve the right to revise
my opinion if I learn more about the formulation.

Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Director
PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois
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