THERAPEUTIC AND TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF BROAD-SPECTRUM ANTIMICROBIAL TRICLOSAN AS A CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENT

Abstract

Triclosan (TCS) is a phenolic antimicrobial incorporated in personal care products and medical devices. Interest in the antiproliferative properties of TCS has recently grown owing to its antilipogenic effects. Through the studies presented here, we provide an appraisal of TCS as a chemotherapeutic agent by investigating its influence on the growth and survival of lymphoma cells. We also examine the contribution of TCS to the development of anemia; a major side effect of chemotherapy with a prevalence as high as 90% in cancer patients. Finally, we identify nonionic detergents, often used as excipients in drug formulations, as potent inhibitors of TCS in vivo.