THE ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF MEDICATED SOAPS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background to the study

According to pelage et al, (1986) antibacterial activity is the ability to either destroy bacteria or inhibit their growth. This is significant with respects to the human body in preventing sepsis and skin infections. Also Derland (1981) states that medicated soap have the germicidal substance like chloroxyhlenol potassium mercuric iodide, trichlorocarbanlide etc. incorporated into them, in order to enhance their antibacterial activity. These germicide  substance are normally added in a specified amount and percentage of the substance used are always stated on the soapcase or  inside the leaflet which certains the information on how to use the soap for various purposes.

Anon (1964) states  that soap may be defined as a chemical compound resulting from the interaction of fatty acids oil and caustic soda (alkali) possessing the characteristic soap like properties of detergents, surface tension lowering wetting and emulsifying power and gel formation. All fatty oils and fats are mixtures of glycoside compounds (erters) of trihydric alcohol, glycosides and some  fatty acids such as plasmatic acid the chemistry of soap manufacturing may  be expressed the following equation which is know as saponification (Anon (1964).

H2CocoG5H31)3 + Na 0H     Naoco15H31               (zH31 + c3H5(oH)3

Palliation                 caustic     sodium palurtate             glycerion

                        Soda                       

Amon (1964) further explain that a bactericidal soap cernirts existentially of the following 0.1 to 3% weight based on the total weight of the soap.

0 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the soap in a compound of formular

R-CO-N1-CH2COOH CH3

Here R represents an alkyl or  alkaline group of 8 to carbon atoms.

According to Johnson (1978), antibacterial  soap may include 2,4,4,trichloro 2,2 hydroxydiphenyl in an amount 0.05 to 5% by weight and at least one phosphorus oxyacid. Phosphorus oxyacid salt phosphoric ester is represented by (R1(oCH,CH2)

R2

Where R1 in (8-20 alkyl, R2 is hydrogen or  methyl and is (1-10). R1 is the same group as R2 or H alkali metal and n is H or alkali metal. Such a soap has a wide range of antibacterial activities and marked resistance of discoloration upon exposure to sunlight (Kaw,1981) another invention relates to an antimicrobial composition consisting of ammoniated zinc sulphate optionally formulated into sufficient formulation and toilet bars. Medicated soap incorporate in their composition germicidal  agent which include hexachlorophene mercuric which trichoran, trichlorocarbaucide.

Sykes (1958) described sterilization as the complete destruction of all living matters. In medical sense, it is often used in a restricted sense to refer to the destruction of pathogenic organisms only.

According to William (1979), wound is defined as disruption of cellular and anatomic continuity while its healing is the restoration of continuity.  That biological procen can only be accomplished by regeneration, cell proliferation and collage production which can be alleviated washing the would surface especially with medicated soap which due to its concert of pherolic compound help in keeping off organisms like Staphylococcus aureus Escherichia coli andPseudomonas aeruginosa always from the would to a certain stage. Wound can also result when the operative barrier of the skin is breached by traumatic invasion or whether it is caused by trauma or internationally by surgery. The open area is susceptible to microbial invasion and once a wound has become infected pus form in the injured area resulting to wound abbess.

Baker et al described antisepsis as the most convenient way of preventing infection usually by inhibiting the growth of bacteria. And most disinfectant when suitably diluted have the antiseptic action. Different method are employed for the destruction of bacteria or for getting rid of them and those method can be conveniently divided into chemical physical and mechanical methods.

Baker et al (1985) explained that chemical agent function as a sterilizing agent by the following lethal mechanisms

  1. Disruption of the cell membranes
  2. Interfering with  orgymatic systems of the organisms enzyme poison)
  3. Coagulation of protein
  4. Oxidation 

1.2    STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Statement of the problems in this work shows that medicated soaps have germidical substances like chloroxylenol pothaium, mercuric widide trichlorocarberihide etc. incorporated into them in order to creat their antibacterial activity. It is therefore necessary to investigate the antibacterial activity of three medicated soap (Asepso Tetmosol and Carat) on Staphylococcus aureus isolated from wound infection.

1.2      AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

  1. To isolate Staphylococcus aureusand and Escherichia coli on human pathogens
  2. To determine the antibacterial activity of medicated soap on Staphylococcus aureusand Escherichia coli isolated from human pathogens

 

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