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Benzalkonium chloride poisoning in infant twins.

Infant twins sustained severe circumoral and pharyngeal burns from a concentrated solution of benzalkonium (Zephiran) chloride prescribed for treatment of candidiasis. This report emphasizes the unnecessary hazard accompanying use of a potentially toxic drug-especially when prepared in error by the pharmacist-when a safer drug (nystatin) is available for treatment of oral candidiasis. Risks from use of a prescription drug for other than the intended patient are also highlighted by this episode of poisoning.

Benzalkonium Compounds↗

Nosocomial pseudobacteremia. Positive blood cultures due to contaminated benzalkonium antiseptic.

Pseudomonas cepacia or Enterobacter species or both were isolated from blood cultures of 79 patients in a community hospital between April 1971 and March 1972. No common exposures other than venipuncture correlated with positive blood cultures. Pseudomonas cepacia, Enterobacter, and other Gram-negative enteric bacteria were cultured from aqueous benzalkonium chloride used for skin antisepsis prior to ordinary and blood culture venipuncture. Contamination of blood cultures by organisms from the antiseptic most likely accounted for positive cultures in 35 to 38 patients (92%) with P cepacia. The remaining three patients had repeated blood cultures positive for P cepacia and circumstantial clinical evidence of bacteremia; they may have contracted disease through exposure to the contaminated antiseptic. Substitution of an iodine-alcohol antiseptic abruptly reduced the isolation of P cepacia and Enterobacter.

Bacteria↗

Selective stimulation of cutaneous interleukin 6 expression by skin allergens.

Epidermal cells, both keratinocytes and Langerhans cells, are able to synthesize and secrete a variety of cytokines, many of which influence or are essential for the induction of skin sensitization and the elicitation of local inflammatory reactions. It has been proposed that it may prove possible to distinguish between contact allergens and skin irritants as a function of differential induction or upregulation of epidermal cytokine expression. In the present study we have addressed this by examination of the local cutaneous production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) following topical exposure of mice to oxazolone, a potent contact allergen, or to benzalkonium chloride (BZC), a skin irritant that is considered not to have a significant potential to cause skin sensitization. Both oxazolone and BZC could induce the production of IL-6 as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in homogenates prepared from treated skin. However, when these chemicals were applied at concentrations that resulted in equivalent cutaneous inflammatory responses, based on induced oedema, only oxazolone provoked the production in skin of IL-6. Moreover, under these conditions exposure only to oxazolone resulted in the secretion by draining lymph node cells of measurable concentrations of this cytokine. These data suggest that the ability of oxazolone to stimulate local IL-6 production is not secondary simply to the induction of local inflammatory responses. As such, the results support the possibility that skin allergens and skin irritants may stimulate variable patterns of epidermal cytokine production.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Determination of a cationic surfactant with naphthalene black 12B by the resonance light scattering technique.

A new determination method for a cationic surfactant, zephiramine (Zeph), was developed with resonance light scattering (RLS) technique, based on the interaction of naphthalene black 12B with Zeph. The resonance light scattering (RLS) and UV characteristics of interaction between naphthalene black 12B and Zeph were studied. The RLS intensity of naphthalene black 12B at 363 nm was greatly enhanced in the presence of Zeph at pH 6.0. The enhanced RLS is proportional to the concentration of Zeph in the range of 3.20 x 10(-7) - 1.44 x 10(-5) mol L(-1). The limit of detection was 8.8 x 10(-8) mol L(-1). The proposed method was applied to the determination of Zeph in synthetic and spiked water samples with the recovery of 96.2-104% and RSD of 1.1-2.5%.

Benzalkonium Compounds↗

Regeneration of myenteric plexus in the mouse colon after experimental denervation with benzalkonium chloride.

Recent reports suggest a far greater plasticity in nerve tissue than previously believed. As the digestive tract is exposed to a variety of insults, this question is relevant to enteric nerves, but little is known about their ability to recover from damage. To address this problem, we ablated the myenteric plexus of the mouse colon with the detergent benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and followed the ensuing morphologic changes for up to 60 days by using light- and electron microscopy. We found that, 2 days after BAC application, the treated area was essentially devoid of intact nerve elements. From day 7, new nerve fibers were observed within the denervated region. This growth progressed until, at days 30-60, newly grown nerve fibers were present in most of this region, and the pattern of muscle innervation was similar to the normal one. At least part of these fibers originated at neurons within intact ganglia surrounding the denervated region. The cross-sectional area of neurons near the denervated region at day 14 was 52% greater than controls. Glial cells were closely associated with the regenerating nerve fibers. From day 14 onward, we observed undifferentiated cells and differentiating neurons in ganglia surrounding the denervated region, and by day 30, new neurons were present in the myenteric region, along with regenerating nerve fibers. We conclude that the myenteric plexus is endowed with a considerable ability of regeneration and plasticity. The results provide evidence for the presence of stem cells and for an adult neurogenesis in this plexus.

Animals↗

A new nondestructive cytometric assay based on resazurin metabolism and an organ culture model for the assessment of corneal viability.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional culture or human corneal equivalents for safety testing are difficult to investigate with classic cytometric or biochemical methods. So a fluorometric method is proposed using resazurin probe. METHODS: Absorbance and fluorescence spectra of the oxidized and reduced forms of resazurin were performed to determine optimal measurement conditions. More than 100 enucleated porcine eyes were used for this experiment. Twelve corneas were immersed in resazurin solution and fluorescence was measured hourly from 1 to 10 h. Ninety benzalkonium chloride-treated corneas and control corneas were used as toxicity controls, and corneal viability was compared with in vivo rabbit eye irritation. RESULTS: After analysis of spectra, the optimal measurement condition of resazurin metabolism proved to be a fluorescence measurement using 570 nm excitation wavelength and 590 nm emission wavelength. The reduction of resazurin was optimal after 6 h of incubation. Resazurin metabolism by isolated pig corneas varied proportionately with the benzalkonium chloride concentration employed, clearly showing significant differences (P < 0.001) in agreement with the in vivo data. CONCLUSION: The resazurin metabolism test can be used to evaluate corneal viability and can thus be a potential alternative for toxicological assessments. This assay allows rapid assessment of non destructed samples, with simple equipment and at a reduced cost for continuous monitoring of corneal viability and possibly other three-dimensional cellular models.

Animals↗

Dendritic cells differently respond to haptens and irritants by their production of cytokines and expression of co-stimulatory molecules.

After application of haptens to the skin, Langerhans cells (LC), i.e. immature dendritic cells (DC) in the skin, move to secondary lymphoid organs to sensitize naive T cells. During this process, LC become mature DC with augmented expression of various co-stimulatory molecules and MHC class II antigens. In this scenario, however, critical questions remain as to what kind of chemicals can induce this maturation process through what kind of mechanisms. To clarify these questions, we used monocyte-derived CD1a+ DC instead of LC since LC maturated spontaneously in vitro culture. After we confirmed that monocyte-derived DC showed at least phenotypic characteristics and a response to TNF-alpha similar to LC, we added various chemicals, i.e., dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB), NiCl2, ZnCl2, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), or benzalkonium chloride (BC), to a culture of purified monocyte-derived CD1a+ DC. Of these chemicals, only NiCl2 and DNCB significantly increased the surface expression of CD54, CD86, HLA-DR antigen, and interleukin (IL)-1 beta production, while SDS, BC, or ZnCl2 could not augment them, except for weak augmentation of CD86 expression by SDS. The increase in the expression of CD86 induced by NiCl2 or DNCB was most remarkable, being observed in DC from almost all the subjects we examined. TNCB could also induce responses similar to those induced with DNCB, but the number of subjects whose DC responded to it was far less than that of subjects whose DC responded to NiCl2 or DNCB. In spite of the augmented CD86 expression on DC treated with DNCB or NiCl2, these chemicals induced different responses of DC in their expression of CD54 and HLA-DR and the production of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. In addition, the up-regulation of CD86 expression on DC treated with DNCB was significantly suppressed by either anti-IL-1 beta or anti-TNF-alpha antibody, while that by NiCl2 was relatively insensitive to these antibody treatments. Finally, the protein kinase C inhibitor, H7, but not staurosporine, could suppress the augmentation of CD86 expression on DC induced either by NiCl2 or by DNCB. These data suggest that DC respond to some haptens by changing their expression of several co-stimulatory molecules and their production of cytokines with a resultant change in antigen-presenting function. They also suggest that these chemicals stimulate DC by different mechanisms. By these responses, DC may modulate the final immune response to chemicals.

Antibodies↗

Two examples of rapid and simple drug analysis in pharmaceutical formulations using capillary electrophoresis: naphazoline, dexamethasone and benzalkonium in nose drops and nystatin in an oily suspension.

Capillary electrophoresis is a versatile tool in pharmaceutical analysis. In the course of a revision of the "Standardrezepturen", a German formula of standard dispensings for preparation in pharmacies, this technique has been applied to drug analysis in pharmaceutical formulations. The present paper deals with two different examples. First, naphazoline, dexamethasone and the preservative benzalkonium are quantified in nose drops without any sample preparation. Second, the antifungal antibiotic nystatin is quantified using nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis in methanol after sample preparation from an oily suspension.

Administration, Intranasal↗

Analysis of benzalkonium chloride by capillary electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry.

Conditions for the separation and determination of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) homologues by CE with UV-detection and CE coupled to MS (IT) using electrospray as ionization source were established. The separation was performed using fused-silica capillaries of 50 microm id and 100 mM acetic acid-ammonium acetate buffer solution at pH 4.5 with 80% of ACN as carrier electrolyte. CE-MS coupling parameters were optimized and methanol-10 mM acetic acid (90:10 v/v) was selected as sheath liquid. Detection limits, based on an S/N of 3:1, were calculated, and values between 0.8 and 1.3 mg/L with CE-ESI/MS and around 0.5 mg/L with CE-ESI-MS/MS, using hydrodynamic injection (15 s, 3.5 kPa), were obtained. Good run-to-run and day-to-day precisions on concentration were achieved with RSDs lower than 8%. Quantitative analysis was carried out by the internal standard method and the calibration curves showed good linearities (r(2) > 0.98). The CE-ESI-MS/MS method was successfully applied to the analysis of BAC in different ophthalmic solutions, allowing the direct determination, identification and confirmation of the BAC homologues presented in these samples.

Benzalkonium Compounds↗

Embryotoxicity of benzalkonium chloride in vaginally treated rats.

The effects of the spermicide benzalkonium chloride (BKC) were studied on the conceptus of rat. Single doses (0, 25, 50, 100 or 200 mg kg-1) of aqueous solutions of BKC were administered intravaginally (1 ml kg-1) on gestational day 1. The vulval metallic clips, used to prevent leakage of the solution, were removed 24 h post-treatment. Fetuses were obtained and examined for malformations on day 21 of gestation. slight to copious amounts of vaginal discharge and vaginitis were noticed in rats treated with the two largest doses of BKC. A dose-related increase in resorptions and fetal death, reduction in litter size and weight were observed in BKC-treated dams. The conceptus loss seemed to occur both before and after implantation. BKC did not cause any discernible visceral malformations, although minor sternal defects occurred in fetuses exposed to 100 and 200 mg kg-1 of the spermicide. These results suggest that single vaginal application of BKC is embryo- and fetocidal in the rat at a dose about 143 times higher than that recommended for controlling conception in women.

Animals↗