Antimicrobial agents

What are antimicrobial agents?

Laboratorios Argenol (Argenol Laboratories) markets antimicrobial ingredients which are used by end clients for two main purposes: in order for the formulations they are added to show antimicrobial activity, or to preserve these formulations and prevent the proliferation of microorganisms.

A very effective antimicrobial ingredient which can be very easily incorporated into all kinds of formulations is silver. The antibacterial and fungicide features of this element have been widely known since ancient times. Recently, it has been shown that it also has a viricidal activity. The effectiveness of silver is marked by two features, on the one hand it is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial ingredient, capable of eliminating Gram +, Gram – bacteria, fungi, moulds, yeasts and very significantly reducing the viral load. Furthermore, due to its mode of action with microorganisms and the toxicity it presents to them, there is no possibility that they may present resistance as is currently the case with some antibiotics.

Argenol offers a number of presentations of silver as an antimicrobial ingredient, always with the purpose of facilitating its incorporation in the different formulations that our clients develop.

Laboratorios Argenol has water-based products which have silver as their predominant element. These antimicrobial ingredients are ideal for incorporating into many cosmetic products either to provide an antimicrobial effect, to eliminate certain bacteria that cause bad odours, which cause acne, etc. Or to preserve the cosmetic itself, to prevent the formation of biofilm and prevent its decomposition.

One of the most important antimicrobial ingredients manufactured by Laboratorios Argenol is Colloidal Silver. This suspension of silver nanoparticles with high antimicrobial effectiveness is a pharmaceutical active ingredient that is widely used for disinfection purposes.

Laboratorios Argenol also produces powdered antimicrobial ingredients. Active pharmaceutical ingredients manufactured under GMP regulations such as Silver Sulphate or Silver Zeolite are widely used for incorporation in dressings, creams or sprays to treat wounds or burns.

The industrial range of antimicrobial ingredients marketed by Laboratorios Argenol, under the registered trademark Bactiblock®, are used for incorporation into composites, ceramics, rubbers, silicones or coatings in order to prevent the proliferation of microorganisms in these materials, to preserve them, and to provide antimicrobial effectiveness on the surfaces that make up these materials, thus favouring the creation of hygienic environments.