ACRIFLAVINIUM CHLORIDE

📋 Quick facts

Description: ACRIFLAVINIUM CHLORIDE — Acriflavine is a topical antiseptic. It has the form of an orange or brown powder. It may be harmful in the eyes or if inhaled. It is a dye and it stains the skin and may irritate. The hydrochloride form is more irritating than the neutral form.
It is derived from acridine. Commercial preparations are often mixtures with proflavine. It is known by a variety of commercial names..

Quick Facts:

• Category: other
• Also Known As: Acriflavinium chloride, Acriflavine

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Acriflavinium chloride is an antimicrobial compound being studied for potential therapeutic use
• Research shows it can inhibit growth of H. pylori, a bacterium linked to stomach cancer and ulcers
• It appears effective against antibiotic-resistant strains in laboratory studies
• The mechanism may involve disrupting bacterial cell membranes
• Current research is limited to lab and animal studies; no human skincare data available

⚗️ Chemical Overview

3,6-diamino-10-methylacridinium chloride is the 10-methochloride salt of 3,6-diaminoacridine. Note that a mixture of this compound with 3,6-diaminoacridine (proflavine) is known as acriflavine or neutral acriflavine. It has a role as an intercalator, an antibacterial agent, an antiseptic drug, a carcinogenic agent and a histological dye. It contains a 3,6-diamino-10-methylacridinium. See also: Methylene Blue (related); Cetylpyridinium Chloride (related); Chloramine-T (related) … View More …

Source(s): ChEBI, PubChem, via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Acriflavinium chloride (a form of acriflavine) has been investigated primarily as a potential internal therapeutic agent rather than a skincare ingredient. According to FEMS Microbiology Letters (2020), acriflavine hydrochloride showed activity against H. pylori, a bacterium classified as a type 1 carcinogen responsible for gastric cancer deaths. The research demonstrated that #1: the compound inhibited H. pylori growth at concentrations roughly 10 times lower than those needed to affect E. coli, another gram-negative bacterium, suggesting some selectivity for H. pylori specifically. #2: It demonstrated a synergistic effect when combined with clarithromycin, a standard antibiotic used against H. pylori, meaning the two substances worked together more effectively than separately.

#3: In mouse models, acriflavine hydrochloride successfully eradicated H. pylori infection. The researchers identified #4: the bacterial cell membrane as the primary target of the compound’s antimicrobial action. However, it is crucial to note that all available research focuses on internal infection treatment in animal models and laboratory conditions. No peer-reviewed studies in these sources examine acriflavinium chloride as a topical skincare ingredient, its safety profile for skin application, or any benefits for common skin concerns. The compound’s potential use in skincare products remains entirely unsupported by the current evidence base.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Tehlan A et al. (2020). Antibacterial action of acriflavine hydrochloride for eradication of the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori. FEMS Microbiol Lett.

🧴 Products Containing ACRIFLAVINIUM CHLORIDE