Cetrimide is a mix of quaternary ammonium salts that exhibits antiseptic and anticancer chemotherapeutic activities. Cetrimide acts as a cationic detergent, altering the mitochondrial membrane potential and inducing pore formation in membranes. Cetrimide bromide inhibits H+ ATP synthase, inducing mitochondrial membrane depolarization and caspase activation and inhibiting proliferation in cellular and animal models of head and neck cancers.