Chlorhexidine

Chlorhexidine (CAS 55-56-1), commonly abbreviated as CHX, is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent used across pharmaceutical, personal care, and healthcare manufacturing. It disrupts microbial cell membranes at low concentrations. This characteristic makes it a go-to active ingredient for preservation and surface disinfection in regulated formulations. In pharmaceutical and healthcare products, CHX is the active ingredient in surgical scrubs and wound irrigation solutions.

It is also utilized in catheter care protocols where sustained antimicrobial activity is required. Oral care manufacturers incorporate it into prescription-grade mouthwashes and gels targeting periodontal bacteria. In these applications, it remains the clinical benchmark for plaque control. Personal care formulators use it as a preservative and antimicrobial booster in skin cleansers, hand sanitizers, and topical preparations.

Water treatment and industrial hygiene applications rely on CHX-based formulations for equipment sanitation. These solutions are essential for surface disinfection in controlled environments and industrial settings. Chlorhexidine is supplied in several salt forms, most commonly as chlorhexidine digluconate, chlorhexidine diacetate, and chlorhexidine dihydrochloride. Pharmaceutical-grade material is available to USP specifications.

The material is also available according to BP and Ph. Eur. standards, with digluconate solutions typically offered at 20% concentration. Technical-grade supply is also available for industrial and veterinary applications.