Antimicrobial & Antibiofilm Effects of Alum (Sphatika) & Its Bhasma. An In Vitro Study

      Аннотация: In the present in vitro study, Antimicrobial potential of Alum as well as its Bhasma- Sphatika Bhasma was evaluated against total 12 organisms, viz., 6 Gram Negative, 4 Gram Positive and 2 Fungi using various assays such as MIC, MBC/MFC and Agar Well Diffusion method. Alum as well as Sphatika Bhasma revealed broad spectrum Antibacterial activities inhibiting gram positive as well as gram negative organisms and moderate antifungal activities. Hence, Antibiofilm potential of Alum and Sphatika Bhasma was evaluated against total 10 bacterial biofilms using crystal violet staining method. Antibiofilm effect of Alum was found to be in the order of S. lutea > P. aeruginosa > E. coli > MRSA > S. typhi > B. subtilis > K. pneumoniae > S. flexneri > E. faecalis > P. vulgaris, whereas, Antibiofilm activity of Sphatika Bhasma was noted in the order of P. aeruginosa > S. lutea > E. coli > K. pneumoniae > S. typhi > P. vulgaris > S. flexneri > MRSA > B. subtilis > E. faecalis. Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm and Antioxidant effects of Alum and Sphatika Bhasma could be attributed to their Phenolic and Flavonoid contents as well as presence of elements such as Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na and Zn.

Ключевые слова: Alum, Sphatika Bhasma, Bhasmas, Ayurveda, Antimicrobial, antibiofilm, Natural products