Chloroxylenol is an antimicrobial used to treat cuts, bites, stings, abrasions, and used as an antiseptic hand cleaner. Chloroxylenol, or para-chloro-meta-xylenol (PCMX), is an antiseptic and disinfectant agent used for skin disinfection and surgical instruments.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 3 references
As a phenol antiseptic, it is believed that the hydroxyl -OH groups of the chloroxylenol molecule binds to certain proteins on the cell membrane of bacteria, and disrupts the membrane so as to allow the contents of the bacterial cell to leak out. This allows chloroxylenol to enter the bacterial cell to bind further with more proteins and enzymes to disable the cell's functioning. At particularly high concentrations of chloroxylenol, the protein and nucleic acid content of targeted bacterial cells become coagulated and cease to function, leading to rapid cell death.
- Primary indication
- The predominant medical applications for which chloroxylenol is formally indicated for therapeutic use is as an application to the skin for use in cuts, bites, stings, abrasions, and for use as antiseptic hand cleaner.Curator reviewed · 4 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C8H9ClO · 156.61 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 1998
- Also known as
- chloro-xylenol · parachlorometaxylenol · PCMX
- Brand names
Resolves to
OSDLLIBGSJNGJE-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESCC1=CC(O)=CC(C)=C1ClWhat you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which other approved drugs treat the same conditions as Chloroxylenol, and which companies have late-stage candidates in those indications?
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