Original Articles: 2011 Vol: 3 Issue: 4
Preparation and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Herbal based Incense Sticks for Fumigation against infectious bacteria
Abstract
The most widely used method for fumigation is using the fumes of formaldehyde along with potassium permanganate, although this method is the most accepted, it is the cause of several health hazards. In this study a herbal based incense stick was formulated using authentic samples of herbal powders of various woods , barks , gums along with volatile oils using mould method, the herbal incense sticks were evaluated for its antimicrobial activity and appearance. The formulated herbal based incense stick not only showed good antimicrobial activity against airborne microbes but also these incense sticks were easy to prepare , user friendly, economical and did not lead to health hazards as observed with the fumes of formaldehyde. Thus it was concluded that herbal incense sticks can be comfortable used for fumigation of hospital wards, microbiological labs as well as homes.