Microbial Testing

Herbal Remedy Concentration Testing

Introduction : The product relies on the herbal remedy to efficiently and evenly disturbed in the primary layer (layer contacting animals skin) to accelerate and minimise chances of infection on the animal wound. Some herbal remedies researched are not very soluble (do not dissolve) hence its vital to test that the gonal herbal remedies that have proved to be beneficial by agar plate testing can diffuse onto the cotton.

Aim : To ensure that the herbal remedies are easily able to diffuse/penetrate the primary layer of cotton and all mix well together to create one paste. .

Method :

Make up different concentrations of both the herbal remedies.
Mix all the ingredients till it forms one paste and is evenly distributed with no lumps of the powdered herbal medicines.
Accurately measure and spread each concentration of the mixtures on the primary layer
Let the primary layer dry (not in direct sunlight) for 2-3 days.

Results shown on the right

Conclusion

The process was challenging, involving a lot of guesswork after I conducted online research to determine the best mixture. My key criteria included ensuring the herbal remedy wouldn’t crack, wasn’t too wet, and didn’t contain lumps of individual ingredients. Based on the results, I concluded that concentration 2 is the best option. This concentration ensures all ingredients are miscible, allowing the mixture to diffuse through the cotton smoothly without causing cracks or lumps.

Agar Plate Microbial Testing

Introduction : This testing will allow me to analyse if herbal remedies are beneficial to be infused on the bandage. This method of disc infusion involves infusing sterile disc with the herbal extract and placing them on an agar plate which has been inoculated with bacteria. The results are expected that there should be a zone of inhibition around the herbal disc hence proving that these herbal medicine will prevent microbial growth which can lead to pain and inflammation to the wound.

Aim : Utilising Disc Diffusion Method to determine antibacterial properties of turmeric and ginger at its optimal concentration.

Method :

1. Sterilise the working bench

2. Diffuse paste 1 (turmeric) and paste 2 ( ginger) on the sterile discs

3. Inoculate the agar plates with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria

4. Place the infused disc's in the centre of the inoculated agar plates with forceps.

5. Close the lid of agar plates and place in the incubator at 35 degrees celsius for 24 Hours.

7. Record the zone of inhibition diameter for all the agar plates to determine the most effective concentration.

Results

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