Testing Method
The most common and easy way of testing antibacterial strength is through disc diffusion antibiotic sensitivity testing. It is usually performed using various drugs or antibiotics but in our case we used natural remedies.
The way the test works is quite simple, it begins with a clean sheet of agar, the bacteria of use will inoculated along the surface in this case E.Coli, and antibiotics or natural remedies will be placed inside the dish, the lid of the petri dish will be closed and it will be placed inside the incubator at 37 degrees. After a period of time 24 hours it will taken out. The strength of the antibiotic agent will be determined by the size of the area surrounding the remedy without any bacterial growth. This is caused by the remedy diffusing into the surrounding area inside the agar. The area is also known as the zone of inhibition.
The general idea of this test was used but there were a variety of changes made to the methodology. These changes included not using the traditional required agar powder which is Mueller-Hinton agar, we instead used a traditional nutrient agar. Also our agar had a ph level 6.8 to 7 whereas for this test it would require a 7.2 to 7.4. Lastly instead of traditional filter paper we substituted it for coffee filters as they were quite similar but more readily available.
The most common and easy way of testing antibacterial strength is through disc diffusion antibiotic sensitivity testing. It is usually performed using various drugs or antibiotics but in our case we used natural remedies.
The way the test works is quite simple, it begins with a clean sheet of agar, the bacteria of use will inoculated along the surface in this case E.Coli, and antibiotics or natural remedies will be placed inside the dish, the lid of the petri dish will be closed and it will be placed inside the incubator at 37 degrees. After a period of time 24 hours it will taken out. The strength of the antibiotic agent will be determined by the size of the area surrounding the remedy without any bacterial growth. This is caused by the remedy diffusing into the surrounding area inside the agar. The area is also known as the zone of inhibition.
The general idea of this test was used but there were a variety of changes made to the methodology. These changes included not using the traditional required agar powder which is Mueller-Hinton agar, we instead used a traditional nutrient agar. Also our agar had a ph level 6.8 to 7 whereas for this test it would require a 7.2 to 7.4. Lastly instead of traditional filter paper we substituted it for coffee filters as they were quite similar but more readily available.
E.coli
Four most commonly used strains are: B,W,C, and K-12. We used K-12 due to its characteristic of being very lab-friendly, as well as it being non-pathogenic. K-12 was first isolated at Stanford University in 1922. In most cases, e.coli is contracted through consuming contaminated food and water. The symptoms of e.coli include: cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and fever. These symptoms usually last from a few days to a little over a week. There have been many e.coli outbreaks over the years in major restaurant chains, such as Wendy's in 2006, Taco Bell in 2008, and, most recently, Chipotle in 2015. These outbreaks are most probably the result of employees not sanitizing properly when working with food after using the restroom. |
Material Research
Ginger- Ginger roots contain phenol, an acidic substance that has antibiotic properties. Phenol is a precursor to many common medicines, such as aspirin. Phenol is also used in the production of herbicides. Phenol sprays are commonly used to help against sore throat. Phenol which is contained in the juice of ginger was able to be easily dissolved in water and once the liquid diffused it was potent enough to create a slight zone of inhibition, and slightly reduce bacterial growth but it was no where near as strong as garlic.
Garlic- Garlic contains the antibiotic substance allicin. Allicin only becomes present in garlic once it is is chopped or crushed. It has shown great antibiotic strength, and also causes the distinguishable scent released when garlic is cut or cooked. Another reason why garlic was more effective than the other substances is because its antibacterial properties lie in its juice which dissolves more easily in water than any powder. Since it dissolves better inside water when the liquid the coffee filter has absorbed diffuses into the agar it will be more potent and be more effective in killing the bacteria and preventing growth.Garlic also retains its antimicrobial activity to 1:128 of the initial amount so it remains effective even in smaller quantities.
Turmeric-Turmeric has known to be another natural product which is quite effective in fighting bacteria. It does not dissolve as well in water due to the lack of fat in water. Turmeric is fat-soluble and requires fat in order for one of its active components curcumin to go through harsh conditions like the stomach and high temperatures. This is why turmeric was ineffective in this instance however it is very effective when treating cuts as it is able to use the fat in the human skin.
Salt- Salt is a known antibacterial agent like the other 4 remedies however it is different as its antibacterial properties come from it removing water which prevent bacteria from growing and flourishing. In this instance salt was introduced into the environment and it diffused into the agar it removed water which in turn made bacterial growth slower but it by itself was not strong enough to kill the surrounding bacteria and create a zone of inhibition.
Ginger- Ginger roots contain phenol, an acidic substance that has antibiotic properties. Phenol is a precursor to many common medicines, such as aspirin. Phenol is also used in the production of herbicides. Phenol sprays are commonly used to help against sore throat. Phenol which is contained in the juice of ginger was able to be easily dissolved in water and once the liquid diffused it was potent enough to create a slight zone of inhibition, and slightly reduce bacterial growth but it was no where near as strong as garlic.
Garlic- Garlic contains the antibiotic substance allicin. Allicin only becomes present in garlic once it is is chopped or crushed. It has shown great antibiotic strength, and also causes the distinguishable scent released when garlic is cut or cooked. Another reason why garlic was more effective than the other substances is because its antibacterial properties lie in its juice which dissolves more easily in water than any powder. Since it dissolves better inside water when the liquid the coffee filter has absorbed diffuses into the agar it will be more potent and be more effective in killing the bacteria and preventing growth.Garlic also retains its antimicrobial activity to 1:128 of the initial amount so it remains effective even in smaller quantities.
Turmeric-Turmeric has known to be another natural product which is quite effective in fighting bacteria. It does not dissolve as well in water due to the lack of fat in water. Turmeric is fat-soluble and requires fat in order for one of its active components curcumin to go through harsh conditions like the stomach and high temperatures. This is why turmeric was ineffective in this instance however it is very effective when treating cuts as it is able to use the fat in the human skin.
Salt- Salt is a known antibacterial agent like the other 4 remedies however it is different as its antibacterial properties come from it removing water which prevent bacteria from growing and flourishing. In this instance salt was introduced into the environment and it diffused into the agar it removed water which in turn made bacterial growth slower but it by itself was not strong enough to kill the surrounding bacteria and create a zone of inhibition.