| abstract |
An antimicrobial oil-in-water emulsion comprising an agent selected from the group consisting of glycerol monooleate, glycerol trioleate, glycerol monolaurate, and glycerol dilaurate as the primary emulsifier and a cationic halogen-containing compound having a C12-C16 chain as a positive charge producing agent is disclosed. The emulsion can optionally further include a sterol, preferably phytosterol. Preferred cationic halogen-containing compounds having a C12-C16 chain for use in the invention include cetylpyridinium chloride, cetylpyridinium bromide, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, cetyldimethyethylammonium bromide, and benzalkonium chloride. The antimicrobial emulsion can be used in the form of a pharmaceutical preparation to inhibit the growth of a wide variety of infectious pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. |