Chlorhexidine salts are widely used in pharmaceutical formulations in Europe and Japan for their antimicrobial properties.Although mainly used as disinfectants, chlorhexidine salts are also used as antimicrobial preservatives.
As excipients, chlorhexidine salts are mainly used for the preservation of eye-drops at a concentration of 0.01% w/v; generally the acetate or gluconate salt is used for this purpose.
Solutions containing 0.002-0.006% w/v chlorhexidine gluconate have also been used for the disinfection of hydrophilic contact lenses.
For skin disinfection, chlorhexidine has been formulated as a 0.5% w/v solution in 70% v/v ethanol and, in conjunction with detergents, as a 4% w/v surgical scrub. Chlorhexidine salts may also be used in topical antiseptic creams, mouthwashes, dental gels, and in urology for catheter sterilization and bladder irrigation.Chlorhexidine salts have additionally been used as constituents of medicated dressings, dusting powders, sprays, and creams.

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