ABSTRACT

Soap is defined as a chemical compound  resulting from the interaction of fatty acids, water, oil and salt. The study was aimed at determining  the antimicrobial activity of bathing soaps (Antiseptic, herbal and mild soap) on human skin flora microorganisms. Nine soaps samples were purchased at a pharmaceutical shop which include (medicated soaps: Dettol, Septol and Tetmosol, Herbal: Dudu Osun and Zee. Mild: Joy, Fancy and Imperial leather). They were investigated for their antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Escherichia coli  and Candida albican. Identification of the bacterial species was carried out by standard microbiological techniques which includes colonial examination, Gram staining and biochemical testing. Minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal activities of the soaps were determined by disc agar diffusion method. Dettol soap had the highest antibacterial activity (34 mm) against Candida albican while Zee exhibited the least zone of inhibition (21mm) against E.coli. used in the work. The antiseptic soaps analysed have bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal effects on the test pathogens while complete resistance was shown by some of the test isolates even at higher concentrations of the soap preparations used. The use of medicated soaps is thus recommended in homes, schools, offices and hospitals as a way of minimizing or stopping infections that are hitherto spread through the hands.