Isopropyl alcohol as an antiseptic?

Question

what's in isopropyl alcohol that gives it its antiseptic qualities? how does it work?

Answer 1

Isopropyl alcohol is not an antiseptic agent and it is a general purpose cleaner.

Isopropyl alcohol (also isopropanol or rubbing alcohol) is a common name for propan-2-ol, a colorless, flammable chemical compound with a strong odor. It has the chemical formula CH3CHOHCH3, and is the simplest example of a secondary alcohol, where the alcohol carbon is attached to two other carbons. It is an isomer of propanol.

Isopropyl alcohol is about twice as toxic as ethanol. Isopropyl alcohol does not cause an anion gap acidosis (like ethanol or methanol). It produces an elevated osmolal gap, but generally no abnormal anion gap (though this may be seen as a result of hypotension and lactic acidosis). Overdoses may cause a fruity, acetone-like odor on the breath.-

Answer 2

Antiseptic Alcohol

Answer 3

Is Alcohol An Antiseptic

Answer 4

Actually isopropyl alcohol is not as good an antiseptic as most people think. Plus propanol is NOT related to propranolol (Inderal - beta-blocker). It does have rapid activity against most bacteria, but it doesn't kill many viruses effectively. Because alcohol-impregnated wipes contain a limited amount of alcohol, their effectiveness is comparable to that of soap and water. When used in an alcohol wipe, the manual wiping adds greatly to its effectiveness.

All the answers about isopropyl alcohol denaturing proteins (theoretically killing microbes) are correct. However, the time needed to do so takes longer than the time of contact when used. Depending on the alcohol concentration, the amount of time that hands are exposed to the alcohol, and viral variant, alcohol may not be effective against hepatitis A and other nonlipophilic viruses.

Still alcohol continues to be used because it is more effective than standard detergents or other antiseptics used alone. The CDC recommends chlorhexidine in an alcohol-base as an antiseptic. The link below has more info on antiseptics.

Hope this help.

Rick the Pharmacist

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Isopropyl alcohol as an antiseptic?
what's in isopropyl alcohol that gives it its antiseptic qualities? how does it work?

Answer 6

Alcohol is an antiseptic, which is routinely used to swab the skin prior to an injection. Alcohol acts to coagulate the protein in bacteria. The irreversible change in the protein is lethal to the bacteria. In the example of the injection, alcohol swabbing of the injection site will kill the bacteria on the skin, so that living bacteria are not carried into the body upon insertion of the needle. Dilution of alcohol, so that a solution is 30% alcohol by volume, makes this antiseptic even more potent, as it allows the alcohol to permeate into the bacteria. Pure alcohol rapidly coagulates surface proteins, producing a coagulated crust around the bacteria.

Isopropyl alcohol (also isopropanol or rubbing alcohol) It is an isomer of propanol... the beta blocker!!
Sterilizing pads typically contain a 60-70% solution of isopropanol in water. Isopropyl alcohol is also commonly used as a cleaner and solvent in industry.
Applied externally as a cooling, soothing application for bedridden patients and athletes. It is also widely used for cleansing the surgeon's hands and instruments and for disinfection of the skin prior to penetration of the skin by a hypodermic needle. As an antiseptic it is good against vegetative bacteria and fair against fungi and viruses. It is ineffective against spores. It is widely believed that 70% ethanol provides the greatest reduction in bacterial count; however, this is in error. Other concentrations may be more effective, but their rate of kill is slower. In order to reduce the skin bacterial count to 5% of normal, 70% ethanol must be left on the skin for at least 2 min. Rubbing alcohol is also a feeble anesthetic and a mild counterirritant. It is not drinkable, although people have been known to attempt ingestion.
. It is, however, more widely used as an antiseptic for sterilizing surfaces or clean minor cuts or abrasions.
In the UK the equivalent skin preparation is surgical spirit which is always based on an ethyl alcohol-methyl alcohol mixture, and which often has the addition of small quantities of iodoform as a topical bacteriocide.

for further statistical data on antiseptic properies of isopropyl alcohol.. please refer :http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/03/Sept03/090303/75n-0183h-c000081-03-Tab-02-vol161.pdf

Answer 7

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Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is a compound consisting of two carbon atoms with an alcohol group attached to one of the carbons. Its formula is CH3CH2OH. Proponal (isopropyl alcohol) is a three carbon compound with an alcohol attached to one of its carbons. The formula is (CH3)2CHOH. Purell, Germ-X and most other hand sanitizers must contain at least 62% ethyl alcohol in order to be FDA certified as a hand disinfectant. While ethyl alcohol is effective in killing most bacteria on the skin surface, it is not as effective as isopropyl alcohol. This is why when nurses and doctors give you shots, they use isopropyl alcohol pads to sterilize the skin. As for flammability, alcohol is very flammable and anything over 40% alcohol by volume will readily ignite.

Answer 8

isoprpyl alcohol is antiseptic similiar to methyl alcohol.it is used as rubbingalcohal ,shaving lotion and astringent solutions.it precipitates proteins of bacteria and kill them.it is more strong than ethyl alcohol

Answer 9

it's the alcohol. the microbes have a hard time surviving