ABSTRACT
Preservatives are utilized in a variety of products in order to control the microbial bioburden of the product. Some products are specifically prohibited from having preservatives or anti-microbial agents, like large-volume parenterals which are provided to supply fluids, nutrients, or electrolytes. One way to address this is to increase the concentration of preservative in the product formulation, if possible. The use of cationic antimicrobial agents may be limited, due to the positive charge of the preservative may change the surface charge of drug particles. The quaternary ammonium compounds used as preservatives bind strongly to the cytoplasmic membrane resulting in general damage to the membrane and subsequent leaking. The cytoplasm may be affected by the uncoupling of the oxidative and phosphorylation processes or by interference with the active transport mechanisms. The packaging material can play a part in issues with the preservative, leaching into the packaging can lower preservative levels.
