Antimicrobial effects of Alum and Sulpher on bacteria isolated from mineral and hospital water

To determine the purity of different mineral and hospital waters and to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of Alum and Sulphur. 50 samples of mineral water of different brands and 50 water samples from different hospitals were analyzed. Detection of parasites was done by Zinc Sulphate Flotation Technique. Bacteriological analysis was done by Membrane Filter Technique and inoculation of selective media by spread plate method. Isolates were identified by standard methods and Quick Test Strip [QTS]. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of isolates was determined by Disc Diffusion Method. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration [MIC] of Alum and Sulphur was determined by Agar Well Diffusion method. Out of 50 mineral water samples, 42 [84%] and from 50 hospitals water samples, 49 [98%] were contaminated. Parasites were not detected in mineral and hospital water samples. Bacterial isolates from bottled water were Pseudomonas spp. [50%], E.coli [25%], Enterobactor spp [10%], Salmonella typhi [5%], Shigella. dysenteriae [5%] and Aeromonas hydrophilla [5%]. In hospital water bacteria isolated were Pseudomonas spp. [47%], Escherichia coli [35%], Enterobactor spp [6%] and S. dysenteriae [10%]. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern indicated Cefazidime, Chloramphenicol and Gentamycin was found to be effective against bacteria isolated from mineral and hospital water. MIC of Alum against different bacterial isolates indicated no effect whereas MIC of sulphur was effective against all bacteria except Pseudomonas spp. This study highlights the problems that can arise in general population after consuming contaminated mineral water and in hospitalized patients drinking contaminated hospital water. It is safer to boil the water because boiling effectively killed all the bacteria

Evaluation of an alum-containing mouthrinse for inhibition of salivary streptococcus mutans levels in children--a controlled clinical trial.

The anticariogenic effect of alum was evaluated in the study by measuring the salivary S. mutans levels of children at baseline, after 3-weeks, and 6-weeks of using alum-containing mouthrinses. Sixty subjects with a mean age of eleven years were selected and randomly divided into four groups. Two experimental mouthrinses (alum in physiological saline and alum in distilled water) and two control mouthrinses (physiological saline and distilled water) were given for a period of 6 weeks on a daily basis. Salivary samples were collected at the end of 3 weeks and 6 weeks and S. mutans levels were assessed and compared with baseline values and among each other. Both the alum-containing mouthrinses produced statistically significant reductions in S. mutans levels in children, thus tempting us to announce alum as a routine oral hygiene measure, though its safety for prolonged usage needs to be established by long-term studies.

Effect of potash alum (aluminium potassium sulphate) on human semen and sperm.

25 normal and healthy human volunteers were engaged in this investigation. The different concentration of potash alum solution have different effects on sperm, motility/death and fructose level of the semen. Higher concentration have higher effects.

effect of rehydragel and saponin as adjuvant on the immune response of horses vaccinated with inactivated AHS vaccine

Two types of binary inactivated AHS vaccines using rehydragel with or without saponin as adjuvants were prepared from virus serotype 9. Two groups [each of two horses] received either the inactivated rehydragel without saponin or the inactivated rehydragel with saponin vaccine separately. A second dose [boostering dose] was administered 30 days after the first one. Sera were collected every 15 days till the end of the experiment [8months] and was tested serologically [ELISA and SNT] to measure the developed immune response which was higher in horses vaccinated with the inactivated rehydragel vaccine with saponin as adjuvant than the other two horses

In vitro antimicrobial activity of potash alum.

This study reports the bactericidal activity of potash alum when added to water, against various epidemic causing enteric pathogens like Vibrio cholerae 01, V. cholerae 0139 and Shigella dysenteriae 1 by lowering the pH of water (from 6.0 to 4.0). Growth of the enteric pathogens was monitored in vitro by inoculating broth cultures of the different organisms in distilled water containing increasing concentrations of potash alum and quantitatively determining the concentration of viable organisms over a 48 h period by the standard plate count method. Controls constituted cultures of each organism grown in the absence of potash alum. The pH of alum administered water was measured in each test tube before inoculation of organisms. Potash alum was found to inhibit growth (10(5) viable count per ml) of most of the organisms examined, particularly V. cholerae 01 and V. cholerae 0139 in a dose dependent fashion. Reduction of colony forming units was observed in presence of 0.25 g/dl of alum after 5 h and no growth was noticed after 24 h.