IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF THE ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED LOZENGES

The in vitro antimicrobial activities of 10 lozenges (Merothol, Meroce ts, Merocaine, Strepsils (two varieties), Dequacaine, Dequacets, Zensy ls, Tyrozets, and Labosept) were determined by use of a microtiter cou nting method with Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and C andida albicans as the test organisms. Merothol, Merocets, Merocaine, and both Strepsils formulations all reduced the counts of both S. aure us and S. pyogenes suspensions by similar to 6 log cycles within 5 and 20 min, respectively. Merothol, Merocets, and Merocaine also caused a reduction in the counts of the C. albicans suspension similar to 5 lo g cycles within 40 min, but no other lozenge formulation showed rapid and marked activity against C. albicans. Dequacaine and Dequacets show ed marked but much slower activities against this yeast. Zensyls cause d an similar to 6-log-cycle reduction in bacterial counts within 40 mi n, and Dequacaine, Dequacets, and Tyrozets showed marked but slower an tibacterial activities. This work confirmed by a statistically sound i n vitro method the in vivo antibacterial activities reported for Merot hol, Merocets, and Merocaine, demonstrated equivalent antibacterial ac tivities for Strepsils, and indicated that Merothol, Merocets, and Mer ocaine also showed marked activities against C. albicans.