Do alcohol based and non-alcohol based hand scrubs with medicinal plant extracts have adequate antimicrobial efficacy as hand hygiene agents compared to a predefined synthetic hand hygiene agent available in the market?

Study setting – Department of Bacteriology in Medical Research Institute, Colombo 08.

Negative control - Water

Positive control – Selected commercially available product

Alcohol based hand scrubs

• Formula 01 – Ethanol + Aloe juice + Clove oil + Glycerin Arm 1- Formula 1 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

• Formula 02 – Ethanol + Aloe juice + Cinnamon oil + Glycerin Arm 2 - Formula 2 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

• Formula 03 – Ethanol + Aloe juice + Clove oil Arm 3 - Formula 3 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

• Formula 04 – Ethanol + Aloe juice + Cinnamon oil Arm 4 - Formula 4 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

• Formula 05 – 4% Chlorhexidiene + Aloe juice Arm 5 - Formula 5 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

Non -alcohol based hand scrubs

• Formula 01 – Aloe juice + Clove oil + Glycerin Arm 6 - Formula 1 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

• Formula 02 – Aloe juice + Cinnamon oil + Glycerin Arm 7 - Formula 2 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

• Formula 03 – Aloe juice + Clove oil Arm 8 - Formula 3 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

• Formula 04 – Aloe juice + Cinnamon oil Arm 9 - Formula 4 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

• Formula 05 – Aloe juice + Nutmeg oil Arm 10 - Formula 5 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

• Formula 06 – Aloe juice + Castor oil Arm 11 - Formula 6 on right thumb (N=30) Negative control on left thumb (N=15) and positive control on left thumb (N=15 each)

Procedure/Intervention

For one formulation,

1. Step1: A group of healthy human volunteers will be recruited and will be assigned to each arm randomly using an [include random assignment method].

2. Step 2: Each participant will be asked to place both their thumbs on two separate blood agar plates (one for each thumb) before application of any formulations.

3. Step 3: Then the assigned formula will be applied on one thumb and at the same time a control (negative or positive control as assigned) will be applied on the other thumb of each participant with the support of two persons (Researcher + Supporter).

4. Step 4: Step 3 will be repeated where participants will be asked to place both thumbs on two fresh blood agar plates (which are divided into three parts) after 10 s and 15 s of application of the particular formulation and control.

5. Step 5: Overnight incubation of agar plates at [give conditions]

6. Step 6: Following overnight incubation, the colony count on the incubated blood agar plates will be counted by the same researcher using a bacterial colony counter. Formulations or controls will be applied using a sterile cotton wool on whole thumb including nails up to palm and fingertip will be kept on agar plates according to the standard published procedure.

• Healthy human volunteers • Both men and women • Age 18 years and above

• Participants who have allergies, eczema and other skin conditions (wounds)