Abstract

IN VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF KALANCHOE PINNATA AND FORMULATIOM OF EAR DROPS TO TREAT EXTERNAL EAR INFECTION

Aafreen Farid Malvankar*, Kiran S. Bhise and Snehal Kulkarni

ABSTRACT

Background: Otitis externa also known as external ear infection is a common problem nowadays which causes inflammation in the ear and ear ache. It can be treated using antibiotics. But in the present time resistance to these antibiotics have become a threat due to their excessive use and so herbal products having lesser to no adverse effects are introduced into the picture. The aim and objective of the study is to check the antimicrobial activity of plant named Kalanchoe pinnata and to formulate ear drops from the same. Method: In this study the plant material was first extracted. The extract was then put through a series of phytochemical tests to determine the phytoconstituents present in it. The plant extract was then dissolved in different solvents to check its antibacterial activity against a single gram negative bacteria i.e. E. coli and single gram positive bacteria i.e.
S. aureus. Ear drops were formulated by adopting 22 factorial design. We then measured the viscosity and antibacterial activity of each of the four batches. Result: Alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, steroids, reducing sugar, terpenoids, tannins and fixed oils are detected by phytochemical examination. The plant extract showed activity in solvents like distilled water, saline solution, glycerin, propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol. After the analysis on the four formulated batches, batch “2“was found to have maximum antimicrobial activity and comparatively good viscosity. Conclusion: The ear drops formulated showed remarkable activity against S. aureus and E. coli the common bacteria causing Otitis Externa.

Keywords: Kalanchoe pinnata, In vitro antimicrobial activity, Agar disc diffusion, Ear infection, Ear drops.