Effects of topical anesthetics on Pullalaria pullulans and Debaryomyces hansenii.

The inhibitory effects of three topical anesthetics of various concentrations on the growth of Pullularia pullulans, Debaryomyces hansenii, and on pigment production by P. pullulans were investigated. The topical anesthetics were benoxinate hydrochloride, proparacaine hydrochloride, and tetracaine hydrochloride. In decreasing order, the inhibiting effects of the drugs on growth were benoxinate, tetracaine, and proparacaine for P. pullulans, and tetracaine, benoxinate, and proparacaine for D. hansenii. The pigment formation in P. pullulans was inhibited by the three drugs.