In Vitro Assessment Of A Deodorant’s Antibacterial Efficacy On Corynebacterium Tuberculostrearicum And Staphylococcus Hominis

Abstract

The human axilla hosts clusters of sweat glands that provide a favorable environment for a large bacterial population. The bacteria-driven process could convert the odorless secretions from the glands into volatile odorous compounds, leading to an unpleasant body odor that may disrupt people’s daily routines. To address this issue, the development of cosmetics like deodorant has the potential to reduce or eliminate the growth of odor-producing bacteria in the human axilla. Deodorants are typically formulated to include various antibacterial ingredients that effectively inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria and neutralize the odor itself. Hence, this research will evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of a newly formulated deodorant against axillary bacterial culture through in vitro settings. The study involved measuring optical density (OD), utilizing the Miles and Misra technique, measuring the zone of inhibition (ZOI) using a spot plating assay, and conducting a time-kill assay. The findings indicated a higher growth rate of C. tuberculostearicum compared to S. hominis. The deodorant-to-bacterium ratio test showed that Deodorant X exhibited superior antibacterial activity with most favorable outcome at 0.25:1 ratio against both C. tuberculostearicum and S. hominis. Moreover, the spot plating assay revealed a greater ZOI for Deodorant X against both bacterial samples. Additionally, the time-kill assay also demonstrated that both Deodorant X and Rexona exerted bacteriostatic effects. Therefore, the in vitro assessment can be employed to evaluate the antibacterial effects of deodorant against human axillary-isolated microbes, particularly C. tuberculostearicum and S. hominis. Keywords: Axilla; Body odor; Deodorant; Bacterial growth; Antibacterial