Role Of Triclosan (TCS)-Containing Hand Washes In Hormonal Imbalance And Impotency

A research shows that, triclosan disrupts the biosynthesis of testosterone. when tested on isolated testicular leydig cells with various dosages, it was found out that triclosan dose-dependently decreases testosterone, and the mechanism is as follows: triclosan decreases the activity of adenylyl cyclase enzyme, resulting in the drop of cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate). Another research shows that, triclosan completely hammered thyroid hormones, lowered luteinizing hormone levels, follicle stimulating hormone levels, and cholesterol synthesis. Concerns over triclosan interfering with the body‘s thyroid hormone metabolism led to a study that found that triclosan had a marked hypothermic effect, lowering the body temperature, and overall causing a ―nonspecific depressant effect on the central nervous system. Another study associated exposure to low levels (0.03 mi-crog/L) of triclosan with disrupted thyroid hormone. Due to the close resemblance of triclosan to certain estrogens, a more recent paper in Environment International shows that triclosan inhibits estrogen sulfotransferase in sheep placenta,an enzyme which helps metabolize the hormone and transport it to the developing fetus. The suspicion is that triclosan would be dangerous in pregnancy if enough of it gets through to the placenta to affect the enzyme. Conclusively, it is recommended that hands should be washed with detergent and warm water, or with bleach and complement with alcohol-containing hand sanitizers rather than using triclosan containing hand washes; also when selecting products such as hand washes, antiseptic soaps, facial cleansers, toothpaste, deodorants, always watch out for Triclosan trade names/chemical names on the ingredient list such as trichlorocarbonalide, irgasan®, Irgacare® and Microban®, triclosan is used as a built-in antimicrobial for product protection.


INTRODUCTION
Triclosan is a phenylether, or chlorinated bisphenol, with a broad-spectrum antimicrobial action; classified as a Class III drug by the Americans FDA. It's also a potent endocrine disruptor and a known carcinogen (Ali 2015). People are exposed to these chemicals by applying antimicrobial products to their skin or using them in their mouth. Most of these products get washed down the drain after bath, where they enter our waterways and are then transported widely throughout the environment. A research shows that, triclosan disrupts the biosynthesis of testosterone. when tested on isolated testicular leydig cells with various dosages, it was found out that triclosan dosedependently decreases testosterone, and the mechanism is as follows: triclosan decreases the activity of adenylyl cyclase enzyme, resulting in the drop of cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate).
Another research shows that, triclosan completely hammered thyroid hormones, lowered luteinizing hormone levels, follicle stimulating hormone levels, and cholesterol synthesis.
Concerns over triclosan interfering with the body's thyroid hormone metabolism led to a study that found that triclosan had a marked hypothermic effect, lowering the body temperature, and overall causing a -nonspecific depressant effect on the central nervous system. Another study associated exposure to low levels (0.03 microg/L) of triclosan with disrupted thyroid hormone Due to the close resemblance of triclosan to certain estrogens, a more recent paper in Environment International shows that triclosan inhibits estrogen sulfotransferase in sheep placenta, an enzyme which helps metabolize the hormone and transport it to the developing fetus. The suspicion is that triclosan would be dangerous in pregnancy if enough of it gets through to the placenta to affect the enzyme.

Current Scenario of Triclosan (TCS) Use and Safety
Generally, TCS comes in the form of white powder. TCS has a weak aromatic, phenolic scent as it is a chlorinated aromatic compound. Ever since its invention, TCS has been widely used in numerous consumer products. It is used as an active ingredient in dental products since 1980s in Europe and the mid-1990s in the United States after approval by the Food and Drug Administration. More specifically, TCS is used in numerous personal care products, such as toothpastes, antibacterial soaps (bars and liquids), dishwashing liquids, deodorant soaps (bars and liquids), cosmetic and antiseptic products, and antiperspirants/deodorants. Triclosan is also used in other consumer products, such as kitchen utensils, toys, bedding, clothes, fabrics, and trash bags .
According to the FDA monograph for health care antiseptic drug products, which covered antibacterial soap products containing TCS, the recommended limits are up to 1% TCS for use in antiseptic washes and surgical hand scrubs in health care settings. According to Governmental regulations in the European Union (EU) and the United States, only specified amount of triclosan can be used in cosmetic. TCS possesses a broad range of antimicrobial activity that encompasses several, types of nonsporulating bacteria and a few fungi, such as Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii (Schweizer, 2001). At low concentrations, TCS inhibits the growth of microorganisms; at higher concentrations, it kills microorganisms. Different microorganisms show varied response to TCS. Triclosan blocks the active site of enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase enzyme (ENR) thus impairing the production of bacterial lipids (Levy et al 1999). In consequence, cell membranes are not properly produced and bacterial proliferation stops. Therefore, only a small TCS dose is required to inhibit bacterial growth. As humans lack ENR enzyme, TCS has been considered harmless to them. Studies carried out by FDA found that TCS-fluoride paste prevented tooth deformities, such as gingivitis, tartar and plaque in a way that was superior to fluoride-only toothpastes. Over the last 30 years, TCS has also been successfully used as an antimicrobial agent in hospitals and for other biomedical purposes. The successful control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreaks in several clinical settings using TCS based products . This led to the recommendation of showering/bathing with 2% TCS for the decolonization of patients whose skin is carrying MRSA   (hypothyroxinaemia) in the exposed animals (Crofton et al. 2007). The compound interferes with thyroid-mediated developmental processes of tadpoles into frogs (Fort et al. 2010(Fort et al. , 2011. The effects are expected to be shared by all animals including humans whose cellular metabolism involves thyroid signalling pathway. Multiple mechanisms including induction of phases I and II enzymes through activation of pregnane X receptor are thought to be responsible for the anti-thyroid activity (Hanioka et al. 1996).
Sodium/iodide symporter is the protein normally responsible for iodide uptake but its role Contamination by TCS has been detected in different environmental matrices including terrestrial, aquatic and biosolids resulting from WWTPs. TCS has also been found in drinking waters. There are concerns that the widespread use of TCS in various applications might lead to a preferential selection for microbial resistance to antibiotics.
Microbial resistance has become an increasingly serious problem worldwide, and the continued use of biocides including TCS may exacerbate this problem. Increasing accumulation of TCS in the environment was also found to have adverse impacts on the growth of aquatic organisms.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Wash hands with detergent and warm water, or with bleach and complement with alcoholcontaining hand sanitizers rather than using triclosan containing hand washes. When selecting products such as hand washes, antiseptic soaps, facial cleansers, toothpaste, deodorants. always watch out for Triclosan trade names/chemical names on the ingredient list such as trichlorocarbonalide, irgasan®, Irgacare® and Microban®, triclosan is used as a built-in antimicrobial for product protection