Some of the Microbicide's ingredients

These are some of the microbicide's ingredients:

Benzalkonium Chloride (Bzk)
Benzalkonium chloride, also known as alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride and ADBAC, is a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides of various even-numbered alkyl chain lengths. This product is a nitrogenous cationic surface-acting agent belonging to the quaternary ammonium group. It has three main categories of use; as a biocide, a cationic surfactant and phase transfer agent in the chemical industry.

BZK demonstrates potent in vitro activity against the majority of microorganisms causing sexually transmitted infectious diseases, including those acting as major genital cofactors of HIV transmission and associated with high morbidity or mortality. (In vitro inactivation of Chlamydia trachomatis and of a panel of DNA (HSV-2, CMV, adenovirus, BK virus) and RNA (RSV, enterovirus) viruses by the spermicide benzalkonium chloride
Laurent B-leca,b,*,  Carol Tevi-Benissana,  Anne Bianchic,  Sylvie Cotignya, Maria Beumont-Mauvielc,  Ali Si-Mohameda and  Jean-Elie Malkinc)

Xylitol
Xylitol is an organic compound with the formula (CHOH)3(CH2OH)2.Xylitol has no known toxicity in humans.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol sweetener used as a naturally occurring sugar substitute. It is found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, and can be extracted from various berries, oats, and mushrooms, as well as fibrous material such as corn husks and sugar cane bagasse. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds the food energy.

Microbicide Q & A (3)

How would an HIV microbicide function?
An HIV microbicide could work in 5 different ways:
- Eliminating or inactivating pathogens.
A microbicide could inhibit HIV infection by breaking down the surface of the virus or pathogen.
- Create physical barriers. Gels or creams could offer a physical barrier between pathogens or viruses, and susceptible cells in the epithelium (cell wall) of the vagina or rectum.
- Strengthening the body's natural protection.
The body has numerous naturally sourced defense system that a microbicide might be able to supplement or enhance. For example, lactobacillus is a naturally occurring, "good" bacteria that helps protect the vagina by keeping its acidic environment. This natural acidity helps foster an inhospitable environment for a lot of pathogens, including HIV. A microbicide that supports the lactobacilli in carrying out this function might inhibit infection by HIV or STDs.
- Inhibiting viral entry.
A microbicide could inhibit viral or bacterial infection by interfering with the binding of viral proteins to cellular receptors. For example, infection with the HIV virus happens through binding of gp120 (on the outside of the virus) to receptors on a cell's membrane. A potential microbicide might interrupt this process by binding to receptors ahead of time, thus blocking the sites and preventing HIV attachment to the cell.
- Suppressing viral replication. Designed as gels or creams, anti-HIV medications that are already FDA-approved and available might be able to reduce replication of HIV in the vagina or rectum during sexual intercourse.