. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Aug 1.

Published in final edited form as: Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2012 Mar 2;26(4):427–439. doi: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2012.01.010

Table 1.

Mechanism of action of candidate microbicides.

	Action	Examples of candidate microbicides
1.	1. Maintenance or mobilisation of normal vaginal defences	Buffergel®; engineered lactobacillus; hydrogen peroxide and peroxidises.
2.	Destroying surface active pathogens by disrupting membranes	Nonoxynol-9 and octoxynol-9; benzalkonium chloride; C31G – SAVVY® chlorhexidine zinc gel.
3.	Inhibiting pathogen entry into mucosal cells	Carraguard^® / PC-515; PRO2000® gel; Emmelle™ and dextrin-2–sulphate.
4.	Preventing fusion between the membranes of the pathogen and mucosal cells	Maraviroc (CCR5 inhibitor); soluble CD4.
5.	Inhibiting post-fusion replication (poorly absorbed antiretroviral agents)	Tenofovir (nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor). Dapivirine (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor).