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Epidermis-Equivalents (EpiDerm) derived from human keratinocytes were obtained after 14 d air-lift-culture. These In-vitro-models were used for the demonstration of a possible postantiseptic effect against the test microorganisms Pseudomonas aerudinosa and Staphylococcus aureus after 5 min pre-incubation of the surface of the epidermis with equimolar concentrations of the antiseptic agents chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) and octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) of 1.6 mmol/I. Both antiseptics adhere to the surface of EpiDerm. Each active agent cannot be removed by washing with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and remains microbiocidal active. EpiDerm-OCT was more effective after 30 min at room temperature against 106 cfu/ml Staphylococcus aureus resulting 3.2-4 Iog10 reduction, but not for EpiDerm-CHX producing only 2-2.4 Iog10 reduction. A maximum of 0.6-1.2 Iog1o reduction was found against Pseudomonas aeruginosa after 30 min exposure in EpiDerm-OCT, but there was no or a neglectable microbiocidal activity of 0-0.2 Iog1o reduction using EpiDerm-CHX. The postantiseptic effect of OCT is superior to EpiDerm-bound CHX comparing equimolar concentrations of active agent used for pre-incubation of EpiDerm. Treatment of EpiDerm with OCT alone or in combination with test organisms resulted in no cytotoxic effect in viable keratinocytes. In contrast to that the test organism Staphylococcus aureus, the active agent CHX alone or in combination with both test organisms demonstrated a cytotoxic activity reducing the viability of basal keratinocytes more than 10%. Therefore, OCT is more tolerated than CHX by basal keratinocytes of the presented In-vitro-model EpiDerm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]