Abstract

Anti-Bacterial Activity of Different Soaps Available in Local Market of Rawalpindi (Pakistan) against Daily Encountered Bacteria

Abbas SZ, Hussain K, Hussain Z, Ali R and Abbas T

The in vitro antibacterial activity of three well-known brands of medicated soaps available in local market of Rawalpindi was conducted by agar well diffusion and agar disc diffusion methods. Reference bacterial strains like Escherichia coli (ATCC25922), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC25923) and Salmonella typhi (ATCC 6539) were treated with three different concentrations of 50 mg mL-1, 100 mg mL-1 and 150 mg mL-1 each soaps. Three different soaps of brand name Safeguard manufactured by Procter and Gamble Pakistan, Lifebuoy manufactured by Unilever Pakistan and Dettol manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser Pakistan Limited. All brands of soaps gave satisfactory results. Antibacterial activity of these soaps was different from each other. Increasing concentration (150 mg/mL>100 mg/mL>50 mg/mL) of each showed good result against reference bacterial strain especially against Staphylococcus aureu sand Escherichia coli. Safeguard was much stronger in all the three soaps in their antibacterial activity, while Dettol was moderate in action against these bacterial strains having average inhibition zones. On the other hand Lifebuoy showed least anti-bacterial activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria especially against gram positive bacterial strain.