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Chlorhexidine (CHX) is a synthetic cationic bisbiguanide antimicrobial substance with broad activity against susceptible microorganisms.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) interacts with negatively charged microbial surfaces and disrupts cell-membrane integrity.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is the parent substance used to prepare more soluble salts for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, oral care, veterinary, and specialty applications.
CAS Number: 55-56-1
EC Number: 200-238-7
Molecular Formula: C₂₂H₃₀Cl₂N₁₀
Molecular Weight: 505.45 g/mol
SYNONYMS
Chlorhexidine, Chlorhexidine (CHX), CHX, Chlorhexidine Base, Chlorhexidine Free Base, Anhydrous Chlorhexidine, 1,1′-Hexamethylenebis[5-(4-chlorophenyl)biguanide], 1,1′-Hexamethylenebis[5-(p-chlorophenyl)biguanide], 1,6-Bis(4-chlorophenylbiguanido)hexane, 1,6-Bis(N-p-chlorophenyldiguanido)hexane, 1,6-Bis[N⁵-(p-chlorophenyl)-N¹-biguanido]hexane, N,N″-Bis(4-chlorophenyl)-3,12-diimino-2,4,11,13-tetraazatetradecanediamidine, N¹,N¹⁴-Bis(4-chlorophenyl)-3,12-diimino-2,4,11,13-tetraazatetradecanediimidamide, N′,N″″′-Hexane-1,6-diylbis[N-(4-chlorophenyl)(imidodicarbonimidic diamide)], Hexamethylene Bisbiguanide Chlorophenyl Derivative, Chlorinated Bisbiguanide, Cationic Bisbiguanide Antimicrobial, Bisbiguanide Antiseptic, Bisbiguanide Preservative, Chlorhexidine Antimicrobial, Chlorhexidine Antiseptic, Chlorhexidine Preservative, Chlorhexidine Oral Care Active, Chlorhexidine Dental Antimicrobial, Chlorhexidine Pharmaceutical Active, Chlorhexidine Laboratory Reagent, Chlorhexidine Reference Standard, Chlorhexidine Research Standard, Chlorhexidine Analytical Standard, CHX Antimicrobial, CHX Antiseptic, CHX Preservative, CHX Dental Active, CHX Oral Care Ingredient, CAS 55-56-1, EC 200-238-7, EINECS 200-238-7, C₂₂H₃₀Cl₂N₁₀, C22H30Cl2N10
APPLICATIONS
Chlorhexidine (CHX) serves as the parent antimicrobial active for topical antiseptic formulations developed under pharmaceutical controls.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is frequently converted into a more soluble salt before incorporation into aqueous topical formulations.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) supports the development of preoperative skin-cleansing formulations intended to reduce susceptible microorganisms on intact skin.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) requires a validated concentration, delivery system, contact time, and regulatory classification for every antiseptic application.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) contributes to surgical hand-cleansing and professional hand-hygiene formulations.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) provides persistent antimicrobial activity when Chlorhexidine (CHX) remains associated with compatible skin surfaces after application.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) functions in wound-care formulations designed for controlled antimicrobial delivery.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) must be evaluated for tissue compatibility, concentration, wound condition, exposure duration, and clinical suitability.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) supports antimicrobial creams, gels, ointments, and lotions intended for localized external application.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) can be incorporated as a soluble salt, fine dispersion, encapsulated active, or controlled-release component.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) serves as an antimicrobial active in mouth rinses developed for professional or therapeutic oral care.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) helps reduce susceptible oral bacteria when taste, staining potential, substantivity, concentration, and treatment duration are appropriately managed.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) contributes to dental gels and toothpaste formulations designed for specialized plaque-control applications.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) requires careful compatibility testing with abrasives, fluoride sources, flavors, surfactants, and thickening polymers.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) supports periodontal-care formulations intended to reduce microbial accumulation around teeth and gingival tissues.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) can provide sustained oral-surface retention through ionic interaction with enamel, dentin, mucosa, and salivary components.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) functions as an antimicrobial adjunct in selected endodontic irrigants and intracanal formulations.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) requires controlled use because Chlorhexidine (CHX) can interact with other endodontic chemicals and produce undesirable precipitates.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) contributes to dental cements, restorative composites, adhesives, sealants, and coating systems developed for antimicrobial performance.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) must be balanced against polymerization, adhesion, mechanical strength, release rate, color stability, and cytocompatibility.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) supports denture-care formulations designed to reduce susceptible microorganisms on removable dental appliances.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) requires compatibility testing with acrylic surfaces, soft liners, metals, pigments, and cleaning ingredients.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) serves as an antimicrobial preservative in compatible pharmaceutical formulations where Chlorhexidine (CHX) use is legally authorized.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) preservation performance must be confirmed through an appropriate antimicrobial effectiveness test.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) contributes to cosmetic preservation systems where Chlorhexidine (CHX) and permitted Chlorhexidine (CHX) salts are authorized.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) limits may be expressed as Chlorhexidine (CHX) equivalent rather than as the total weight of a selected salt.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) supports deodorant and personal hygiene formulations intended to control odor-associated microorganisms.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) can complement fragrance, absorbent, antiperspirant, and odor-neutralizing ingredients in compatible formulations.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) functions in specialized liquid cleansers containing compatible nonionic, amphoteric, or cationic surfactants.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) generally performs poorly with conventional soaps and strongly anionic surfactants because insoluble complexes may form.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) contributes to veterinary shampoos, rinses, sprays, creams, and topical cleansing formulations.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) veterinary use must account for animal species, application site, licking risk, concentration, and regional authorization.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) supports antimicrobial wound-dressing research involving fibers, foams, films, membranes, and absorbent matrices.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) can be loaded into porous structures for gradual release after contact with wound fluid or environmental moisture.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) functions in experimental hydrogel systems designed for sustained local antimicrobial delivery.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) release can be modified through polymer charge, crosslink density, swelling behavior, ionic strength, and environmental pH.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) contributes to antimicrobial coatings developed for selected medical-device surfaces.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) requires assessment of coating adhesion, sterilization stability, release behavior, biocompatibility, and device performance.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) supports catheter, tubing, implant-surface, and medical-polymer research intended to reduce microbial attachment.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) cannot independently establish infection prevention without complete device testing and clinical validation.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) functions in antimicrobial textile finishes for laboratory, medical, hygiene, and technical textile research.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) can be adsorbed, encapsulated, immobilized, or incorporated into compatible fibers and textile coatings.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) contributes to antimicrobial polymer composites containing thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, or waterborne binders.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) performance depends on dispersion, polymer compatibility, surface availability, migration, and release characteristics.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) serves as an analytical reference substance for identification and quantitative laboratory procedures.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) supports chromatographic retention confirmation, assay calibration, impurity analysis, and method-validation studies.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) functions as a microbiological research reagent in susceptibility, membrane-interaction, and biofilm studies.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) can be evaluated through minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, time-kill, and surface-substantivity methods.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) serves as a starting substance for preparing Chlorhexidine (CHX) digluconate, diacetate, dihydrochloride, and other salt forms.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) salt selection allows solubility, concentration, crystallinity, delivery, and formulation behavior to be adjusted.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) supports formulation screening involving surfactants, solvents, polymers, salts, preservatives, and delivery matrices.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) compatibility studies help identify combinations that preserve antimicrobial availability, physical stability, and finished-formulation performance.
DESCRIPTION
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is the free-base form of a synthetic bisbiguanide antimicrobial substance.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) differs from Chlorhexidine (CHX) digluconate, diacetate, and dihydrochloride because Chlorhexidine (CHX) contains no salt-forming counterion.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) has the molecular formula C₂₂H₃₀Cl₂N₁₀ and a molecular weight of approximately 505.45 g/mol.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is identified by CAS Number 55-56-1 and EC Number 200-238-7.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) contains two para-chlorophenyl groups, two biguanide regions, and a central hexamethylene chain.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) gains antimicrobial activity from the combination of hydrophobic aromatic groups and protonatable biguanide functionalities.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) normally appears as a white or nearly white crystalline powder.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) appearance can vary slightly with particle size, purity, moisture content, crystal form, and storage history.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) has very low intrinsic solubility in neutral water compared with commonly used Chlorhexidine (CHX) salts.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is therefore frequently converted into digluconate, diacetate, or dihydrochloride forms for practical formulation.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) becomes positively charged when the biguanide groups are protonated under suitable aqueous conditions.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) displays strong attraction toward negatively charged microbial membranes, proteins, mineral surfaces, and polymers.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) binds to microbial cell envelopes and alters membrane organization.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) can increase permeability, disturb membrane potential, and cause leakage of intracellular components.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) generally shows strong activity against many Gram-positive bacteria and activity against numerous Gram-negative bacteria.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) provides more limited or formulation-dependent performance against bacterial spores, mycobacteria, some fungi, and non-enveloped viruses.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) exhibits substantivity because Chlorhexidine (CHX) can adsorb onto negatively charged biological and solid surfaces.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) may be released gradually after adsorption and provide residual antimicrobial activity.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is incompatible with many anionic surfactants, conventional soaps, alginates, and strongly anionic polymers.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) can lose freely available activity or form precipitates when incompatible negatively charged ingredients are present.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) performance can be influenced by pH, temperature, ionic strength, organic matter, protein concentration, and surface composition.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) may bind strongly to blood, proteins, cellulose, clays, and other adsorptive substances.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) can be manufactured through multistage synthesis involving chlorophenyl and biguanide intermediates linked by a hexamethylene chain.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) purification requires control of residual reactants, aromatic impurities, inorganic residues, particle size, and assay.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) remains stable under recommended dry storage conditions but can degrade under excessive heat, strong light, oxidation, or unsuitable pH.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) quality control should monitor assay, moisture, related substances, appearance, identity, and application-specific purity requirements.
PROPERTIES
Chemical Name: Chlorhexidine
Abbreviation: CHX
Preferred SEO Name: Chlorhexidine (CHX)
INCI Name: Chlorhexidine
Chemical Class: Bisbiguanide Antimicrobial
Substance Form: Free Base
CAS Number: 55-56-1
EC Number: 200-238-7
Molecular Formula: C₂₂H₃₀Cl₂N₁₀
Molecular Weight: 505.45 g/mol
Exact Mass: Approximately 504.2032 Da
Structural Description: Two Chlorophenyl Biguanide Groups Connected by a Hexamethylene Chain
Functional Groups: Biguanide Groups, Aromatic Rings, and Chlorophenyl Groups
Physical State: Solid
Appearance: White to Nearly White Crystalline Powder
Odor: Odorless or Nearly Odorless
Water Solubility: Very Low in the Free-Base Form
Salt Formation: Readily Converted into More Formulation-Compatible Acid-Addition Salts
Volatility: Negligible under Normal Conditions
Boiling Behavior: Decomposes before Conventional Boiling
Ionic Character: Cationic after Protonation
Primary Function: Antimicrobial Active
Secondary Functions: Antiseptic, Preservative, Surface-Substantive Antimicrobial, and Research Reagent
Mechanism of Action: Adsorption to Microbial Surfaces and Disruption of Membrane Integrity
Gram-Positive Activity: Generally Strong
Gram-Negative Activity: Broad but Organism and Formulation Dependent
Fungal Activity: Active against Selected Yeasts and Fungi
Spore Activity: Limited
Mycobacterial Activity: Limited or Formulation Dependent
Non-Enveloped Virus Activity: Generally Limited
Substantivity: High on Many Negatively Charged Surfaces
Protein Binding: Strong
Organic-Matter Sensitivity: Antimicrobial Availability Can Be Reduced
Anionic Surfactant Compatibility: Generally Poor
Soap Compatibility: Generally Poor
Strongly Anionic Polymer Compatibility: Generally Poor
Nonionic Surfactant Compatibility: Often Better, Subject to Testing
Amphoteric Surfactant Compatibility: Formulation Dependent
Cationic Ingredient Compatibility: Often Better, Subject to Testing
pH Sensitivity: Ionization, Solubility, Stability, and Activity Depend on pH
Electrolyte Sensitivity: Counterions and Ionic Strength Can Affect Solubility and Availability
Common Salt Forms: Digluconate, Diacetate, and Dihydrochloride
Analytical Uses: Reference Standard, Assay Calibration, Identity Testing, and Impurity Analysis
Common Hazard Concerns: Eye Irritation or Damage, Skin Irritation, Dust Irritation, and Aquatic Toxicity
Environmental Precaution: Prevent Uncontrolled Release into Drains and Natural Waters
Chemical Stability: Stable under Recommended Dry Storage Conditions
Incompatible Materials: Strong Oxidizing Agents, Strongly Anionic Ingredients, and Incompatible Reactive Chemicals
Storage Conditions: Cool, Dry, Tightly Closed, and Protected from Light, Moisture, and Contamination
Shelf Life: Grade and Specification Dependent
FIRST AID
Inhalation: Move the person exposed to Chlorhexidine (CHX) dust or aerosol into fresh air and keep the person at rest.
Obtain medical attention if Chlorhexidine (CHX) exposure causes coughing, wheezing, respiratory irritation, or breathing difficulty.
Skin Contact: Remove clothing contaminated with Chlorhexidine (CHX) and wash the affected skin thoroughly with soap and water.
Obtain medical advice if Chlorhexidine (CHX) causes persistent redness, discomfort, irritation, or an allergic response.
Eye Contact: Immediately rinse eyes exposed to Chlorhexidine (CHX) with clean running water for at least 15 minutes while holding the eyelids open.
Remove contact lenses when easy to do, continue rinsing, and obtain prompt medical attention after concentrated Chlorhexidine (CHX) exposure.
Ingestion: Rinse the mouth thoroughly after accidental ingestion of Chlorhexidine (CHX) and do not induce vomiting unless instructed by medical personnel.
Contact a physician or poison information center after significant Chlorhexidine (CHX) ingestion or whenever symptoms develop.
Note to Physicians: Treat Chlorhexidine (CHX) exposure symptomatically and provide supportive care.
Assess Chlorhexidine (CHX) exposure for irritation, hypersensitivity, respiratory effects, gastrointestinal effects, and the amount and route of exposure.
HANDLING AND STORAGE
Handling: Handle Chlorhexidine (CHX) according to good industrial hygiene and pharmaceutical or cosmetic manufacturing practices.
Avoid generating Chlorhexidine (CHX) dust and prevent Chlorhexidine (CHX) contact with the eyes, skin, clothing, and incompatible ingredients.
Ventilation: Provide effective general ventilation and local exhaust wherever Chlorhexidine (CHX) is weighed, milled, transferred, sieved, or charged.
Use suitable respiratory protection when engineering controls cannot adequately control airborne Chlorhexidine (CHX) dust.
Storage: Store Chlorhexidine (CHX) in tightly closed original or approved containers within a cool, dry, and well-ventilated area.
Protect Chlorhexidine (CHX) from moisture, excessive heat, direct light, oxidizing agents, anionic contamination, and unauthorized access.
Spill and Leak Procedures: Avoid raising Chlorhexidine (CHX) dust and collect Chlorhexidine (CHX) with a suitable low-dust mechanical method.
Prevent Chlorhexidine (CHX) from entering drains, soil, or surface water and transfer Chlorhexidine (CHX) waste into labeled disposal containers.
Handling Precautions: Wear chemical-resistant gloves, protective clothing, and tightly fitting safety goggles while handling Chlorhexidine (CHX).
Keep emergency eyewash facilities accessible and consult the current grade-specific Safety Data Sheet before commercial Chlorhexidine (CHX) processing.
