218 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS Table IV Test Results Sample name Chemical Biochemical oxygen oxygen demand demand COD BOD 5 (mg/1) (mg/1) BODs/COD Glyceryl monolaurate (H) Farnesol (G) Phenoxyethanol (Q) HGQ 2,4,4'-Trichloro-2 '-hydroxydiphenyl ether 2,2'-Methylenebis-(6-bromo-4-chlorophenol) 1755 1069 483 217 3205 975 2880 728 453 5 778 15 0.61 O.45 O.3O O.25 -- 0.02 61 45 3O 25 0 2 E lOO 90 8o 70 6o 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 [] Glycerylmonolaurata [] Phenoxyethano! [] Farnesol [] HGQ 10 15 time periods [5 days] Figure 3. Biological degradabitity of HGQ and its ingredients (computed from BODs/COD). short-chain fatty acids (18) but that their enzymes release these compounds from apocrine sweat or physiological skin surface !ipids. Apparently only coryneform bacteria are capable of releasing odorous substances such as short-chain fatty acids (19) or steroids. It is remarkable that the bacteria population of the axillae is distinguished by two types of flora. There is a coccal dominance and a corynebacteria dominance (at least 75% of all aerobic bacteria are of the coryneform type). The population density of the coryneform flora is six times that of the coccal dominance (11). In an application concentration of 0.3% to 0.6%, HGQ acts as an effective deodorant

GROWTH INHIBITION OF CORYNEFORM BACTERIA 219 by reliably inhibiting the growth of coryneform bacteria, the main producers of odorous substances from underarm sweat and skin surface lipids. In addition, it is composed of natural products and has shown no signs of sensitization, i.e., of allergic contact eczema (3). HGQ and its individual natural active substances are biologically degradable to an acceptable degree. Only CO• and H20 are formed, since there is no nitrogen contained in HGQ. Furthermore, this finding indicates that although the synergistically acting HGQ mix- ture has a selective bactericidal action, it is degraded naturally after use, which is not true of the first generation of deodorants. REFERENCES (1) M.P. Coyle and B. A. Lipsky, Coryneform bacteria in infectious diseases: Clinical and laboratory aspects, Clin. Microbiol, Rev. 3, 227-246 (1990). (2) A. Dravnieks, B. K. Krotoszynski, W. E. Lieb, and E. Jungermann, Influence of an antibacterial soap on various effluents from axillae, J, Soc. Cosmet, Chem,, 19, 611-629 (1968). (3) Data on file, Dragoco, Holzminden, FRG. (4) EEC, Derektive 79/831, Annex V, part C: Methods for the determination of ecotoxicity. c. 6. Degradation, biotic degradation: closed bottle test. OECD--Limit for ready degradeability: 60% within 28 days. (5) C. Froebe, A. Simone, A. Charig, and E. Eigen, Axillary realodor production: A new mechanism, J, Soc. Cosmet. Chem., 41, 173-185 (1990). (6) M. Gloor and T. Scheer, In-vivo-Regulation der Hornschichtfeuchtigkeit, ,4rtzl. Kosmetologie, 19, 31-40 (1989). (7) A. A. Hartmann, Untersuchungen zu Unterschieden der Keimzahlen der Residentflora benachbarter Hautareale in Abhiingigkeit von der benutzten, Hautfloragewinnungsmethode, ,4rtzl, Kosmetologie, 13, 142-154 (1983). (8) A. A. Hartmann, Effect of occlusion on resident flora, skin moisture and skin pH, Arch. Dermatol. Res,, 275, 251-254 (1983). (9) U.-F. Haustein, Bakterielle Hautflora, Wirtsabwehr und Hautinfektion, Dermatol, Mon. Schr. 175, 665-680 (1989). (10) G. W. Holzmer, Die Priifung der Wirksamkeit von K0rperdeodorantsprays, Aerosol Report 25, 354- 369. (11) U. Hoppe, U. Eigener, G. Sauermann, W. Engel, and W. Pape, Deodorizing and antimicrobial composition for use in cosmetic or topical formulations USP 4.921.694 (1.5. 1990). Priorities: DE 37 20 831 (24.6. 1987), DE 3740186 (27.11. 1987). (12) U. Hoppe and G. Sauermann, Moderne kosmetische Wirkstoffe und der Nachweis ihrer Funktion, Zeitschr, f. Hautkrankheiten, 65, 123-131 (1990). (13) P.J.H. Jackman and W. C. Noble, Normal axillary skin microflora in various populations, Clin. Exp. Dermatol,, 8, 259-268 (1983). (14) H. Ch. Korting, A. Lukas, and O. Braun-Falco, Mikrobielle Flora und Geruch der gesunden men- schlichen Haut, Hautarzt, 39, 564-568 (1988). (15) E. H. Lennette, A. Balows, et al, "Coryne Bactrium spp. and Other Coryneforme Organisms," in Manual of Clinical Microbiology, 4th Ed. (American Society for Microbiology, Washington D.C., 1985), pp. 193-204. (16) J. j. Leyden, K.J. McGinley, K. M. Nordstrom, and G. F. Webster, Skin microflora, J. Invest. Dermatol,, 88, 65s-72s (1987). (17) N. Liappis, S.-D. Kelderbacher, K. Kesseler, and P. Bantzer, Quantitative study of free amino acids in human eccrine sweat excreted from the forearms of healthy trained and untrained men during exercise, Eur. J. Appl, Physiol, 42, 227-234 (1979). (18) B. A. Lipsky, A. C. Goldberger, L. S. Tompkins, and J. J. Plorde, Infections caused by pendiph- theria corynebacteria, Rev, Inj$ct. Dis,, 4, 1220-1235 (1982).