Abstract:
Hand hygiene is effective in preventing healthcare-associated infections. Aim
of this study was to develop a novel hand scrub and evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy
against selected pathogens. The formulation was prepared using 4% chlorhexidine
gluconate, aqueous extract of medicinal aloe (moisturizing agent) and distilled water.
Agar well diffusion method was performed against selected standard cultures of
microbes (Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Enterobacter cloacae (ATCC 23355),
Acinetobacter baumannii (ATCC 19606), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853),
Klebsiella pneumonia (ATCC 70603), Salmonella typhi (Clinical isolates), Shigella
sonnei (Clinical isolates), Proteus mirabillis (ATCC 12453), Candida albicans (ATCC
10231), Streptococcus pyogenes (ATCC 12384), Enterococcus faecium (ATCC 29212)
and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923)) to evaluate in-vitro antimicrobial efficacy
of the freshly prepared formulation. The stability was also studied by evaluating the
physical parameters for three months at room temperature. Formulated hand scrub was
found to be homogenous, liquid, and reddish with a pleasant odour. The mean values of
inhibition zones for formulation were 23.10 ± 1.00, 21.67 ± 0.58, 20.00 ± 1.00, 22.67 ±
0.58, 17.67 ± 0.58, 25.00 ± 1.00, 23.50 ± 0.71, 18.00 ± 1.00, 34.33 ± 0.58, 23.67 ± 0.58,
24.33 ± 0.58, and 27.33 ± 0.58 mm against E. coli, E. cloacae, A. baumannii, P.
aeruginosa, K. pneumonia, S. typhi, S. sonnei, P. mirabillis, C. albicans, S. pyogenes, E.
faecium and S. aureus respectively. Zero values were obtained for the inhibition zones
for distilled water (Negative control) while the market product (Positive control) showed
the inhibition zones of 8.00 ± 0.00, 9.33 ± 1.15, 11.33 ± 1.53, 10.00 ± 0.00, 10.00 ±
0.00, and 12.33 ± 1.15 mm against E. cloacae, S. typhi, C. albicans, S. pyogenes, E.
faecium and S. aureus respectively. In conclusion, the formulated hand scrub is having
promising antimicrobial activity against the pathogens tested compared to the positive
control.
