ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECTS OF SOME BATHING SOAPS (MILD, HERBAL AND ANTISEPTIC) ON SOME HUMAN SKIN MICROFLORA

ABSTRACT

Soap is defined as a chemical compound  resulting from the interaction of fatty acids, water, oil and salt. The study was aimed at determining  the antimicrobial activity of bathing soaps (Antiseptic, herbal and mild soap) on human skin flora microorganisms. Nine soaps samples were purchased at a pharmaceutical shop which include (medicated soaps: Dettol, Septol and Tetmosol, Herbal: Dudu Osun and Zee. Mild: Joy, Fancy and Imperial leather). They were investigated for their antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Escherichia coli  and Candida albican. Identification of the bacterial species was carried out by standard microbiological techniques which includes colonial examination, Gram staining and biochemical testing. Minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal activities of the soaps were determined by disc agar diffusion method. Dettol soap had the highest antibacterial activity (34 mm) against Candida albican while Zee exhibited the least zone of inhibition (21mm) against E.coli. used in the work. The antiseptic soaps analysed have bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal effects on the test pathogens while complete resistance was shown by some of the test isolates even at higher concentrations of the soap preparations used. The use of medicated soaps is thus recommended in homes, schools, offices and hospitals as a way of minimizing or stopping infections that are hitherto spread through the hands.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page                                                                                                                                i

Certification                                                                                                                            ii

Dedication                                                                                                                               iii

Acknowledgements                                                                                                                iv

Table of Contents                                                                                                                   v

Lists of Tables                                                                                                                        viii

List of Figures                                                                                                                         ix

Abstract                                                                                                                                   x

CHAPTER ONE

1.0    Introduction                                                                                                              1

 1.1  Aim And Objectives                                                                                                          4

1.2 Objectives                                                                                                                         4

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review                                                                                                             5

2.1 Soap                                                                                                                                  5

2.2 Medicated Soaps on Some Normal Micro-Flora of The Human Skin                                     11

2.3 Medical Relevance of Medicated Soap                                                                            13

2.4 Antibacterial Activity of Soap                                                                                          14

2.4.1 Gram Positive and Gram Negative Susceptibility                                                         15

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials And Methods                                                                                                    17

3.1 Sample Collection                                                                                                            17

3.2 Media Used                                                                                                                       17

3.3 Sterilization                                                                                                                      17

3.4 Isolation of Microorganisms                                                                                             17

3. 5 Identification And Characterization of Isolates                                                               18

3.5.1 Gram staining                                                                                                                18

3.5.2 Motility Test                                                                                                                  18

3.6 Biochemical and Cultural Characteristics                                                                        19

3.6.1 Catalase test                                                                                                                   19

3.6.2 Coagulase Test                                                                                                               19

3.6.3  Citrate Test                                                                                                                   20

3.6.4 Indole Test                                                                                                                     20

3.6.5 Methyl Red Test                                                                                                            20

3.6.6 Oxidase Test                                                                                                                  21

3.6.7  Urease Test                                                                                                                   21

3.6.8 Voges-proskaeur Test                                                                                                    21

3.6.9 Hydrogen Sulphide Test                                                                                                22

3.6.10 Sugar Fermentation Test                                                                                             22

3.7 Identification of Fungi                                                                                                      23

3.8 Preparation of Soap Samples                                                                                            23

3.8.1 Preparation of Disks with Soap Samples                                                                      23

3.9 Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing                                                                                24

3.9.1 Disk Agar Diffusion Method                                                                                         24

3.10  Minimal Inhibitory Concentration                                                                                 24

3.10.1 Minimal Bactericidal Concentration Test                                                                   25

3.10.2 Minimum Fungal Concentration Test                                                                         25

3.11 Statistical Analysis                                                                                                         25

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Results                                                                                                                              26

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0  Discussion, Conclusion And Recommendation                                                                                                                                     36

5.2 Conclusion                                                                                                                        38

5.3 Recommendation                                                                                                              39

LIST OF TABLES

Table                                            Title                                         Page

4.1:                   Diameter of Zone of Inhibition (mm) of medicated soap samples                       27

4.2                   Diameter of Zone of Inhibition (mm) of herbal soap samples                       29

4.3                   Diameter of Zone of Inhibition (mm) of Mild Soap samples                       31

4.4                   Diameter of zone of inhibition (mm) of fungal isolate against the

Medicated, Herbal and Mild soaps                                                                 33

4.5                   MIC, MBC And MFC Values Of Tested Isolates Against The                  35

Soap Samples.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0    INTRODUCTION

Antibacterial activity is the ability to either destroy or inhibit the growth of microorganisms and this can be referred to as either cidal or static effects respectively. This is significant with respects to the human body in preventing sepsis and skin infections (Higaki et al 2000). Soap cleanses because molecules are attracted to the fatty part of the anions of the soap solution and are pulled off by dirty surface into water. Antiseptic soaps contain additional ingredients, usually for the treatment of skin disorders (Eckburg et al 2005). Antiseptic soaps have germicidal substances like, irgasan, trichlorocarbanlide, (TCC) etc, incorporated into them to enhance their antibacterial activity (Friedman and Wolf, 2008). These germicidal substances are added in a specific amount and their percentages are always stated on the soap case or leaflet which contains the information on how to use the soap for various purposes. Normal microflora is found on the surface of all human skin (Prescott et al 2008).

The normal skin bacterial flora in human is composed of three major groups of Gram-positive bacteria: the coliform bacteria, the micrococci and the staphylococci with only a minor component of Gram-negative bacilli (Nobel, 2009). This is because the skin is a comparatively dry habitat, with available water as the major factor controlling growth. Occlusion of the skin is a potent way to increase the number of bacteria on the skin (Breuer et al 2002).  Staphylococcus species, though a common cause of human infections are found as non-pathogenic microorganisms in human samples. Staphylococcus aureus is the most important member of this group (Diekema et al 2001) and has been associated with different clinical conditions and syndromes (Javid et al 2006).

In the study of Ikegbunam et al (2013) who reported that Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen affecting both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals frequently resulting in high morbidity and complications which constitutes problems to health. It is a Gram-positive, non-spore forming cocci bacterium that is a member of the firmicutes, which are found as normal human microbiota of the skin and nasal cavity. It is the most frequently encountered bacterial species in hospitals (Emmerson, 2004). The major reservoirs of Staphylococcus aureus in hospitals are colonized in infected patients and hospitals workers (Javid et al 2006). Carriers of Staphylococcus aureus are at risk of developing endogenous infections or transmitting infections to health care workers and patients. Its disease manifestation ranges from minor skin infections to life threatening diseases such as folliculitis, furuncle (boil), dermitis (eczema) carbuncle, ulcers, pneumonia sepsis and wound infections. Staphylococcus aureus may also cause food poisoning, scalded-skin syndrome and toxic shock syndrome (TSS) through production of toxins.

Wound is defined as break in integrity of the skin or discontinuity of the skin as a result of breakage. Dermatitis or Eczema syndrome is an inflammation of the skin characterized by itching and scalded-skin and an infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Wound healing or restoration of skin continuity, a biological process can be accomplished by regeneration, cell proliferation and collage production which can be encouraged by washing the wound surface and other infected skin lesions like atopic dermatitis especially with antiseptic soap which due to its content of phenolic compounds help in keeping off organisms like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa away from the sites (Al-saimary et al 2013).  

Baker et al( 2004), described antisepsis as the most convenient way of preventing infection usually by inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Sterilization is described as the complete destruction of all living matters. This description is often restricted to destruction of pathogenic organisms only. Microbiological quality is the acceptability of a product lot based on the absence or presence of a number of microorganisms, including parasites and/or a quantity of their toxins or metabolites per unit of mass, volume, area or lot (Cordier, 2004). Soap is a salt of a fatty acid. Soaps are mainly used as surfactants for washing, bathing, and cleaning, yet they are also used in textile spinning, as they are important components of lubricants. Soaps for cleansing are obtained by treating vegetable or animal oils and fats with a strongly alkaline solution (Cavitch, 2015).

Soap has a little value as an antiseptic, but it does have an important function in the mechanical removal of microbes through scrubbing. The skin normally contains dead cells, dust, dried sweat, microbes, and oily secretions from oil glands. Soap breaks the oily film into tiny droplets, a process called emulsification, and the water and soap together lift up the emulsified oil and debris and float them away as the lather is washed off. In this sense, soaps are good degerming agents Degermation refers to the process of mechanically removing microbes from the skin (Alberts et al 2008; Tortora and Case, 2013).Medical applications quite often require sterility, especially with regard to invasive instruments such as scalpels, clamps, dental hand tools, and the like, this absolute level of microbial control is often unwarranted and perhaps even unwanted. In many cases, it is remarkably important to focus on reducing the size of a microbial population, or its microbial load.

 1.1  AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to determine the antimicrobial activities of bathing soaps (Antiseptic, Herbal And Mild Soap) on human skin flora microorganisms

1.2 OBJECTIVES

1.     To isolate and characterize microorganisms associated with human skin flora (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albican)

2.     To determine the antimicrobial activity of different bathing soaps (Antiseptic, Herbal And Mild Soap) on human skin flora microorganisms

3.     To determine the Minimum inhibitory concentration of the different soaps.

4.     To determine the Minimum Bactericidal concentration and minimum fungal concentration of the different bathing soaps.

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