A COMPARATIVE EVALUATION BETWEEN ALLIUM SATIVUM (GARLIC) EXTRACT AND COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE TOPICAL ANTIBACTERIAL AGENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS INFECTION IN BURN WOUNDS IN MICE

Clemente J

Makati Medical Center, Makati City, Philippines

Objectives: A readily available, inexpensive, natural alternative to the treatment of burn wound infections is presented in this paper. Pure garlic extract and garlic extract cream was studied: 1. To determine the efficacy of garlic in treating S. aureus infection when used as a topical antibacterial agent for partial thickness burn wounds in mice; and 2. To compare the efficacy of garlic with silver sulfadiazine cream and mupirocin cream in treating S. aureus infection when used as a topical antibacterial agent for partial thickness burn wounds in mice.

Methods: This was a prospective experimental study involving 40 pathogen free mice. Partial thickness burn wound was created over the back of each mouse. Overnight growths of S. aureus were applied on each burn wound. The mice were divided into five groups: control (no medication), pure garlic extract, garlic extract cream, silver sulfadiazine cream, and mupirocin cream. Control of infection was documented on the 24^th, 48^th and 72^nd hours based on three parameters: clinical appearance, bacteriologic culture, and histologic evaluation of the wound.

Results: Garlic extract cream and silver sulfadiazine cream showed the best results maintaining the partial thickness character of the burn wound, remaining deep red and moist. Bacteriologic cultures were cleared of S. aureus growth by the 72^nd hour. No histologic evidences of wound infection were noted with milder burn effects on the stratum basale on the 48^th and 72^nd hours.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated the potential of garlic extract as an antibacterial agent. Furthermore, garlic extract cream was shown to be equally effective as silver sulfadiazine cream, the standard drug of choice for burn wounds.

2022