This is a review article describing chlorhexidine and its practical uses.
Chlorhexidine is a bis-biguanide formula with cationic properties.
The molecule is symmetric with two 4, chlorophenyl rings and two biguanide groups linked by a hexamethylene chain. As a disinfectant called Hibitane, the drug was introduced more than 20 years ago. Chlorhexidine has an affinity for bacteria probably due to the positively charged chlorhexidine molecule and the negatively charged groups on the bacterial cell wall. Binding increases permeability of the cell wall and permits the agent to penetrate into the cytoplasm and cause death. Other studies have confirmed their findings, but these trials have been of short duration.