Activity of gentian violet and brilliant green against some microorganisms associated with skin infections

The antimicrobial activity of gentian violet and brilliant green was tested against various strains of potential skin pathogens, by means of agar diffusion assay. The activity of both compounds was affected by pH. Gentian violet was found to be more active than brilliant green at pH 7.4, particularly against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The spectrum of activity of gentian violet was not increased by the addition of brilliant green. An aqueous solution of gentian violet 0.5% turned out to be an adequate topical anti-infective drug. The preparation is particularly suitable for primary health care in tropical developing countries, because it is cheap, chemically and physically stable, and easy to prepare