Bactigras is a medicated paraffin gauze dressing to prevent infection, soothe and protect wounds and allow wounds to drain freely. Bactigras contains chlorhexidine for the prevention of infection.

Chlorhexidine acetate is a white to pale cream microcrystalline powder, odourless or almost odourless. It is soluble (at 20ºC) in 55 parts of water and 15 parts of alcohol.

Composition of Dressing: Chlorhexidine Acetate BP 0.5% in white soft paraffin BP. 

Action

The action of chlorhexidine acetate is both bacteriostatic and bactericidal. Chlorhexidine Acetate has been shown to be active, in vitro, against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at concentrations of 10-50 µg/ml. These include: B. subtilis Sal. pullorum Strep. lactis V. choleroe Strep. pyogenes (4 strains) Strep. faecalis Coryn. diphtheriae Sal. dublin Strep. pneumoniae Sal. typhimurium Staph. aureus (20 strains) A. aerogenes Pr. vulgaris E. coli P. aeruginosa (10 strains) Chlorhexidine has been found to be ineffective against heat resistant spores and acid-fast bacilli.

Indications

BACTIGRAS is indicated for adjunctive treatment and prevention of infection in skin loss lesions, including wounds, burns, and ulcers.