In vitro study to determine antimicrobial activity of selected Ayurvedic preparations against bacteria and fungi causing superficial skin infections

• Main Authors: PLR Gomes, S Hewageegana, J Kottahachchi, GIDDAD Athukorala, MM Weerasekera, TDCP Gunasekera, DMBT Dissanayake, DFD Meedin, SSN Fernando
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sri Lankan Society for Microbiology 2013-02-01
• Series: Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: superficial skin infections; ayurvedic preparations
• Online Access: https://sljid.sljol.info/articles/4717
• ISSN: 2012-8169; 2448-9654

<p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span class="citation">The increasing antimicrobial resistance exhibited by microorganisms causing superficial skin infections has led to extensive research on the therapeutic potential of Ayurvedic preparations. Medicinal plants contain many types of naturally occurring and side effects-free anti microbial compounds that can be effectively used against microbial infections. We tested t</span>he antimicrobial activity of twenty-eight Ayurvedic preparations used to treat superficial infections<em><span style="font-style: normal;"> in a local <span style="color: black;">Ayurvedic healthcare institution. They were tested against </span></span><span style="color: black;">Trichophyton</span></em><em> rubrum, Microsporum gypseum<em>, Candida albicans</em></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">, </span></em><em>Malassezia furfur, <em>Staphylococcus aureus </em></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">and </span>Streptococcus pyogenes</em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">. Twelve preparations showed significant antimicrobial activity and </span></em>gave inhibition zones &gt;10 mm. Two Ayurvedic preparations (M<span class="citation">ixture</span><em> containing Terminella<span class="citation"> chebula, Terminella bellerica </span></em><span class="citation"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and <em>Emblica officinalis </em></span>and<em> </em><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">one of<em> Terminella chebula </em>only<em> </em></span>) showed antimicrobial activity against all the microorganisms tested. We suggest that these two decoctions could be effectively used against all the above tested strains.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span class="citation"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">DOI: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v3i1.4717"><span style="color: #0000ff;">http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v3i1.4717</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span class="citation"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></p>