Liquid antimicrobial composition

Abstract

A liquid antimicrobial composition is provided for use in the disinfection of the skin of a human or an animal, in particular where disinfection of a drug resistant organism is required. The composition comprises a cationic, cell membrane-disrupting biocide and a cationic dendrimer capable of inhibiting an efflux pump mechanism of said cell membrane. The cationic, cell membrane-disrupting biocide is preferably any or a combination of chlorhexidine, a polymeric biguanide, octenidine dihydrochloride and a quaternary ammonium compound. The dendrimer is provided to bind and disrupt the cell membranes of microorganisms in order to inhibit or destroy the cell's efflux pump mechanism thereby preventing microorganism strains resistant to the cationic membrane-disrupting biocide from becoming prevalent, particularly if the biocide comprises chlorhexidine. The dendrimer is preferably a G-0 to G-3 dendrimer comprising any or a combination of quaternary ammonium functionalised poly(propylene imine), polylysine, dendrimers with surface groups based on a sugar and polyamide amine (PAMAM) dendrimers. The composition is preferably in the form of an aqueous or aqueous alcohol solution, dispersion or emulsion that may have been adsorbed by a wipe.

We claim: 
     
         1 . Cationic dendrimer for inhibiting an efflux pump mechanism of a cell membrane. 
     
     
         2 . Dendrimer according to  claim 1 , wherein the dendrimer is any of a generation 0 to generation 3 dendrimer or a combination of same. 
     
     
         3 . Dendrimer according to  claim 1 , wherein the dendrimer is of generation 1. 
     
     
         4 . Dendrimer according to  claim 1 , wherein dendrimer is any or a combination of quaternary ammonium functionalised poly(propylene imine), polylysine, dendrimers with surface groups based on a sugar and polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. 
     
     
         5 . Dendrimer according to  claim 1 , wherein the dendrimer is poly(propylene imine). 
     
     
         6 . Dendrimer according to  claim 1 , wherein the dendrimer is a polyamidoamine (PAMA) dendrimer. 
     
     
         7 . Dendrimer according to  claim 1 , wherein the dendrimer is a polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer of generation 1. 
     
     
         8 . Antimicrobial composition comprising the dendrimer according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . Antimicrobial composition according to  claim 8  for use in the disinfection of the skin of human or animal. 
     
     
         10 . Cationic dendrimer according to  claim 1  for use in the disinfection of the skin of human or animal. 
     
     
         11 . Dendrimer according to  claim 1  for use in the prevention or treatment of an infection by microorganisms, in particular drug-resistant organisms. 
     
     
         12 . Antimicrobial composition according to  claim 8  for use in the prevention or treatment of an infection by microorganisms, in particular drug-resistant organisms. 
     
     
         13 . A method for disinfecting the skin of a human or animal comprising:
 applying an antimicrobial composition to the skin of the human or animal, wherein the antimicrobial composition comprises a cationic dendrimer for inhibiting an efflux pump mechanism of a cell membrane.