Abstract

ALLICIN AS A DERMAL ANTIBIOTIC AGAINST MICROBIAL INFECTIONS

Ashish Shrivastava and H. K. Garg*

Abstract

The present study aims to assess the antibacterial potential of allicin against 04 Gram-positive bacterial strains viz. Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus epidermis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and 04 Gram-negative stains - Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitis, using the Disc Diffusion Method at three concentration; 100, 200 and 300μg/ml respectively in order to treat dermal infections. The results depicted significant antibacterial activity of allicin against both the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. The highest antibacterial activity was noted against Neisseria meningitis at 300μg/ml (87 ± 3.5%) and the lowest activity was observed against Proteus vulgaris at 300μg/ml (33 ± 2.9%). The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) vacillated between 100μg/ml and 200μg/ml depending on the type of microorganism. The results indicated allicin to be an extremely promising herbal medicine for the treatment of dermal infections caused by pathogenic bacterial strains.

Keywords: Allicin, antimicrobial activity, dermal infections, MIC.