How exactly does chloroxylenol kill bacteria?

Wikipedia has a very brief explanation, and I can't find more details on the web :(

How exactly does chloroxylenol kill bacteria?
It's basically like a proton gradient disruptor. Bacteria use proton gradients to produce ATP. As H+ falls through the ATP synthase down the gradient, it drives this ATP synthesis. Chloroxylenol destroys this gradient. Consequently, the bacteria cannot produce ATP and starve to death.
Reply:chloroxylenol is a modified chlorinated xylene compound. It is a potent antiseptic that has a very broad spectrum of susceptible bacteria, and fungi. It is a majopr component in the disinfectant dettol.


I cannot do better than the entry in Wikipedia;


Here goes;


Chloroxylenol (4-chloro-3,5-dimethylphenol) is a chemical compound with the formula C8H9ClO and CAS number 88-04-0. It is commonly used in antibacterial soaps such as Dettol; in agar patch studies, it has been found to kill a wide variety of microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and the superbug MRSA, within 15 seconds. Its antibacterial action is due to disruption of cell membrane potentials, blocking production of adenosine triphosphate (effectively starving the cells).





Chloroxylenol is not significantly toxic to humans and other mammals but is toxic to fish. It is a mild skin irritant and may trigger allergic reactions in some individuals. In a 125 ml bottle of Dettol, there is usually 48 mg/mL (4.8% W/V) of Chloroxylenol in the solution


Cheers!

camellia