Aminacrine is a slow-acting germicide effective against bacteria and fungi which is included in drug formulations for its anti-septic properties. A highly fluorescent anti-infective dye used clinically as a topical antiseptic and experimentally as a mutagen, due to its interaction with DNA.
Aminacrine has long been known to be a potent frameshift mutagen in viruses and bacteria. It is one in a general class of aminoacridine dyes that bind to DNA and possess mutagenic activity. Aminacrine is used clinically as a topical antiseptic. A part from therapeutic use, aminacrine is also introduced as a matrix for negative mode matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI).
- It is used to treat minor burn injuries, cuts, wounds, sores, rashes, and abrasions.
- It contains aminacrine and cetrimide as active ingredients which are antiseptic and antibacterial in nature.