Abstract for presentation at Chemeca 2007

Antibacterial activities of herbal extract and essential oils liquid soap were formulated and developed. Experiment was performed by selecting the herbs which were reported to have antibacterial activity. They were Kaffir Lime oil, Lemon Grass oil, King Orange oil, Mangosteen extract, Rhinacanthus nasutus extract and Kaffir Lime juice extract. The essential oil and herbal extracts were obtained and tested by Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) for their activities against the bacterial causing skin diseases : Bacillus substilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Results showed that Kaffir Lime oil, King Orange oil, Mangosteen extract and Kaffir Lime juice extract had significant effect against all bacteria. The combination between herbal extract and essential oil were then tested for their synergistic effect. Results revealed that the mixtures of Kaffir Lime oil-King Orange oil and Mangosteen extract-Kaffir Lime juice extract showed the synergism. Consequently, many types of herbal liquid soaps were formulated from the mixture of herbal extract and essential oil. Natural and chemical surfactant liquid soap formulations were then retested MIC while those also were compared their activities toward the commercial antibacterial liquid soaps. Antibacterial activities indicated that the herbal liquid soaps, comprising with each 1% of Kaffir Lime oil, Mangosteen extract, Kaffir Lime oil-King Orange oil and of Mangosteen extract-Kaffir Lime juice extract, were different. Mixtures of Kaffir Lime oil-King Orange oil and Mangosteen extract-Kaffir Lime juice extract showed higher efficiency than the single added of the Kaffir Lime oil, King Orange oil, Mangosteen extract and Kaffir Lime extract.