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Journals / Sağlık Bilimlerinde İleri Araştırmalar Dergisi / 2026 / Volume: 8 Issue: 3

Investigation of the Antibacterial Activity of Polyhexamethylene Biguanide (PHMB) Against Multidrug-Resistant and Standard Bacterial Isolates

Polihekzametilen Biguanid'in (PHMB) Çoklu İlaç Dirençli ve Standart Bakteri İzolatlarına Karşı Antibakteriyel Etkinliğinin Araştırılması

Didem Akal Taşcıoğlu(İstinye University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology)0000-0003-2172-2611
Gülay İmadoğlu Yetkin(University of Health Sciences, Hamidiye Medical Faculty, Department of Medical Microbiology)0000-0002-6115-3583
Evren Kılınç(University of Health Sciences, Hamidiye Medical Faculty, Department of Biophysics)0000-0002-1697-6580
Burak Karacan(İstinye University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology)0000-0003-1166-3101
Pages
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Publication Date
2025-10-28
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Further research is war ranted to optimise dosing regimens, evaluate the risk of resistance development, and assess the long-term safety of PHMB to fully realise its clinical potential.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains in healthcare facilities presents a significant challenge for infection management.
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Key Findings & Data:Material and Methods: Five standard bacterial strains and five clinical isolates were exposed daily to PHMB at concentrations of 0.01%, 0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1% over a 14-day period.
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Conclusion & Impact:Further research is war ranted to optimise dosing regimens, evaluate the risk of resistance development, and assess the long-term safety of PHMB to fully realise its clinical potential.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Antiseptic · PHMB · antibacterial activity

Abstract

Objective: The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains in healthcare facilities presents a significant challenge for infection management. Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), a next generation antiseptic, offers broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity in addition to low cytotoxicity and environmental safety. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of PHMB against both standard bacterial strains and clinical isolates, with a focus on its long-term inhibitory effects and concentration-dependent activity. Material and Methods: Five standard bacterial strains and five clinical isolates were exposed daily to PHMB at concentrations of 0.01%, 0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1% over a 14-day period. Colonyforming units (CFU) were quantified following exposure durations of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 30 min, and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were determined for all strains. Results: PHMB demonstrated potent antibacterial activity against all tested strains. Concentrations of 0.1% achieved complete growth inhibition throughout the 14-day period. However, at the lowest concentration (0.01%), regrowth was observed from day 10 onward for Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterococcus faecalis. Significant reductions in CFU counts were noted within the first 5 to 10 min of exposure at all concentrations. Conclusion: PHMB demonstrated rapid and potent antibacter ial activity against both standard bacterial strains and clinical isolates, even at low concentrations. Its effectiveness at low con centrations provides significant advantages in terms of reducing cytotoxicity and environmental impact. Further research is war ranted to optimise dosing regimens, evaluate the risk of resistance development, and assess the long-term safety of PHMB to fully realise its clinical potential.

Özet

Amaç: Sağlık kuruluşlarında çoklu ilaca dirençli (ÇİD) bakteri suşlarının artışı, enfeksiyon yönetimi için önemli bir zorluk oluşturmaktadır. Yeni nesil bir antiseptik olan polihekzametilen biguanid (PHMB), düşük sitotoksisite ve çevresel güvenliğin yanı sıra geniş spektrumlu antimikrobiyal aktivite sunmaktadır. Bu çalışma, PHMB'nin hem standart bakteri suşlarına hem de klinik izolatlara karşı antibakteriyel etkinliğini, özellikle uzun vadeli inhibitör etkileri ve konsantrasyona bağlı aktivitesine odaklanarak değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Beş standart bakteri suşu ve beş klinik izolat, 14 günlük bir süre boyunca günlük olarak %0,01, %0,1, %0,25, %0,5 ve %1 konsantrasyonlarında PHMB'ye maruz bırakılmıştır. 1, 2, 5, 10 ve 30 dakikalık maruziyet sürelerinin ardından koloni oluşturan birimler (CFU) sayımları yapıldı ve tüm suşlar için minimum bakterisidal konsantrasyonlar (MBC) belirlendi. Bulgular: PHMB, test edilen tüm suşlara karşı güçlü antibakteriyel aktivite gösterdi. %0,1 ve üzeri konsantrasyonlar, 14 günlük süre boyunca tam büyüme inhibisyonu sağladı. Ancak, en düşük konsantrasyonda (%0,01), Acinetobacter baumannii ve Enterococcus faecalis için 10. günden itibaren yeniden büyüme gözlendi. Tüm konsantrasyonlarda, maruziyetin ilk 5 ila 10 dakikasında CFU sayılarında önemli azalmalar kaydedildi. Sonuç: PHMB, düşük konsantrasyonlarda bile hem standart bakteri suşlarına hem de klinik izolatlara karşı hızlı ve güçlü antibakteriyel aktivite gösterdi. Düşük konsantrasyonlardaki etkinliği, sitotoksisiteyi ve çevresel etkiyi azaltma açısından önemli avantajlar sağlamaktadır. PHMB'nin klinik potansiyelinin tam olarak ortaya çıkarılması için dozaj rejimlerini optimize edilmesi, direnç gelişimi risklerinin belirlenmesi ve uzun vadeli güvenliğini değerlendirilmesi amacıyla daha fazla çalışmaya ihtiyaç vardır.

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Cite This Article

Taşcıoğlu, D. A., Yetkin, G. İ., Kılınç, E., Karacan, B., *, D. A. T. (2025). Investigation of the Antibacterial Activity of Polyhexamethylene Biguanide (PHMB) Against Multidrug-Resistant and Standard Bacterial Isolates. Sağlık Bilimlerinde İleri Araştırmalar Dergisi, Volume: 8 Issue: 3. https://doi.org/10.26650/JARHS2025-1680666

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