Alcohols exhibit rapid broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against vegetative bacteria (including mycobacteria), viruses, and fungi but are not sporicidal. They are, however, known to inhibit sporulation and spore germination, but this effect is reversible. Because of the lack of sporicidal activity, alcohols are not recommended for sterilization but are widely used for both hard-surface disinfection and skin antisepsis. Lower concentrations may also be used as preservatives and to potentiate the activity of other biocides. Many alcohol products include low levels of other biocides (in particular chlorhexidine), which remain on the skin following evaporation of the alcohol, or excipients (including emollients), which decrease the evaporation time of the alcohol and can significantly increase product efficacy. Ethanol in combination with: chlorhexidine gluconate 1% was approved to use in surgical hand antiseptic. It significantly reduces the number of microorganisms on the hands and forearms prior to surgery or patient care. Ethanol is also used as a co-solvent to dissolve many insoluble drugs and to serve as a mild sedative in some medicinal formulations. Ethanol is metabolized by the hepatic enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. Ethanol affects the brain’s neurons in several ways. It alters their membranes as well as their ion channels, enzymes, and receptors. Alcohol also binds directly to the receptors for acetylcholine, serotonin, GABA, and the NMDA receptors for glutamate. The sedative effects of ethanol are mediated through binding to GABA receptors and glycine receptors (alpha 1 and alpha 2 subunits). It also inhibits NMDA receptor functioning. In its role as an anti-infective, ethanol acts as an osmolyte or dehydrating agent that disrupts the osmotic balance across cell membranes.

Benzoyl peroxide (BPO) is an organic compound in the peroxide family. It consists of two benzoyl groups bridged by a peroxide link. It is one of the most important organic peroxides in terms of applications and the scale of its production. Benzoyl peroxide is used as an acne treatment, for bleaching hair and teeth. Adverse reactions are: dryness and urticarial reaction, contact dermatitis, application site burning, application site irritation and skin irritation.

Clotrimazole is an anti-fungal medicine indicated for the treatment of vaginal yeast infections and tinea. It can be used either in combination with other drugs (betamethasone dipropionate) or alone, in form of topical or vaginal cream. The drug exerts its action by inhibiting lanosterol demethylase thereby affecting the growth of fungi.

Miconazole is a synthetic imidazole derivative, a topical antifungal agent for use in the local treatment of vaginal, and skin and nail infections due to yeasts and dermatophytes. It is particularly active against Candida spp., Trichophyton spp., Epidermophyton spp., Microsporum spp. and Pityrosporon orbiculare (Malassezia furfur), but also possesses some activity against Gram-positive bacteria. It binds to the heme moiety of the fungal cytochrome P-450 dependent enzyme lanosterol 14-alpha-demethlyase. Inhibits 14-alpha-demethlyase, blocks formation of ergosterol and leads to the buildup of toxic methylated 14-a-sterols. Miconazole also affects the synthesis of triglycerides and fatty acids and inhibits oxidative and peroxidative enzymes, increasing the amount of active oxygen species within the cell.

Haloprogin is an active synthetic antifungal and antimonilial agent that was effective in the treatment of superficial fungal and monilial infections of the skin. Because of these two basic therapeutic effects, haloprogin was especially useful in the treatment of infections when the identity of the specific causative organism had not been established or is being determined. Studies in-vitro demonstrated antifungal, antimonilial and antibacterial activity. It was shown to demonstrate marked in-vitro activity against Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Haloprogin is no longer available in the US.

Tolnaftate is a thiocarbamate derivative used as an over-the-counter anti-fungal agent for treatment of athlete's foot and ringworm. Tolnaftate acts by inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis pathway in fungal cells.

Clioquinol is a broad-spectrum antibacterial with antifungal properties, bacteriostatic. It is used as an antifungal and antiprotozoal topical drug OTC product for treatment of human infections. Previousely was used for wide number of intestinal disorders including lambliasis, shigellosis, balantidiral dysentery and some forms of diarrheas. The physiologic effect of clioquinol is by increased histamine release and cell-mediated immunity. It is a member of a family hydroxyquinolines which inhibit certain enzymes related to DNA replication. It is a copper, iron and zink chelating agent. It is an organic molecule with a quinolinic acid as its apparent core which itself is a neurotransmitter. In large doses it possesses neurotoxicity and may induce neurological disease such as subacute myelo-optic neuropathy by creating copper deficiency that leads to zink excess. SMON (Sub-Acute-Myelo-Optical-Neuropathy) - a polio-like disease began as an epidemic in 1959 in Japan was believed to be a Clioquinol caused. Clioquinol is a standardized chemical allergen. It has been resurrected as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease since it perturbs metallo-chemistry of amyloid and clioquinol treatment has been shown to be beneficial in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Pramoxine (also known as pramocaine or pramoxine HCI) is a topical anesthetic and antipruritic. Pramoxine is used to temporarily relieve itching and pain caused by minor skin irritation such as minor burns/cuts/scrapes, sunburn, eczema, insect bites, cold sores, or rashes from poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac. Some products containing pramoxine are also used to temporarily relieve the itching and discomfort from hemorrhoids and certain other problems of the genital/anal area (such as anal fissures, itching around the vagina/rectum). Pramocaine is available by itself and in combination with other medications in various topical preparations. It works by preventing ionic fluctuations needed for neuron membrane depolarization and action potential propagation. Pramoxine reversibly binds and inhibits voltage gated sodium channels on neurons decreasing sodium permeability into the cell. This stabilizes the membrane and prevents ionic fluctuations needed for depolarization stopping any action potential propagation.

Selenium sulfide, an anti-infective agent, relieves itching and flaking of the scalp and removes the dry, scaly particles that are commonly referred to as dandruff or seborrhea. It is also used to treat tinea versicolor, a fungal infection of the skin. Topical selenium sulfide can be added to the therapeutic armamentarium for congenital or acquired hyperkeratosis.

Oxytetracycline, a tetracycline analog isolated from the actinomycete streptomyces rimosus, was the second of the broad-spectrum tetracycline group of antibiotics to be discovered The drug is used for the prophylaxis and local treatment of superficial ocular infections due to oxytetracycline- and polymyxin-sensitive organisms for animal use only. These infections include the following: Ocular infections due to streptococci, rickettsiae E. coli, and A. aerogenes (such as conjunctivitis, keratitis, pinkeye, corneal ulcer, and blepharitis in dogs); ocular infections due to secondary bacterial complications associated with distemper in dogs; and ocular infections due to bacterial inflammatory conditions which may occur secondary to other diseases in dogs. Allergic reactions may occasionally occur. Treatment should be discontinued if reactions are severe. If new infections due to nonsensitive bacteria or fungi appear during therapy, appropriate measures should be taken. Oxytetracycline inhibits cell growth by inhibiting translation. It binds to the 30S ribosomal subunit and prevents the amino-acyl tRNA from binding to the A site of the ribosome. The binding is reversible in nature. Oxytetracycline is lipophilic and can easily pass through the cell membrane or passively diffuses through porin channels in the bacterial membrane.