indication

Topical antiseptic used mainly in wound dressings.

pharmacology

Proflavine is an acriflavine derivative which is a disinfectant bacteriostatic against many gram-positive bacteria. Proflavine is toxic and carcinogenic in mammals and so it is used only as a surface disinfectant or for treating superficial wounds.

mechanism of action

Proflavine acts by interchelating DNA (intercalation), thereby disrupting DNA synthesis and leading to high levels of mutation in the copied DNA strands. This prevents bacterial reproduction.