Antibiotic susceptibility profile of bacilli isolated from the skin of healthy humans

Abstract In the present work, twelve bacilli were isolated from four different regions of human skin from Bela population of Nagpur district, India. The isolated bacilli were identified by their morphological, cultural and biochemical characteristics. Seven isolates were Gram negative rods, out of which five were belong to genus Pseudomonas. Three among the five Gram positive isolates were identified as Dermabactor and the remaining two Bacillus. Their antimicrobial susceptibility profile was determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The isolates showed resistance to several currently used broad-spectrum antibiotics. The Dermabactor genus was resistant to vancomycin, although it was earlier reported to be susceptible. Imipenem was found to be the most effective antibiotic for Pseudomonas while nalidixic acid, ampicillin and tetracycline were ineffective. Isolates of Bacillus displayed resistance to the extended spectrum antibiotics cephalosporin and ceftazidime. Imipenem, carbenicillin and ticarcillin were found to be the most effective antibiotics as all the investigated isolates were susceptible to them. Antibiotic resistance may be due to the overuse or misuse of antibiotics during the treatment, or following constant exposure to antibiotic-containing cosmetic formulations.

[Novel transdermal drug delivery systems]

Delivery of drugs into systemic circulation via skin has generated lots of interest during the last decade. Transdermal drug delivery systems offer many advantages over the conventional forms or sustained release delivery systems. When technically feasible, topical delivery of drug products for both local and systemic indications offer many advantages over oral or parenteral routes, such as the need for fewer administration, constant blood level, elimination of the potential for both under and overdosing, and avoidance of first-pass metabolism. Skin structure shows that it is relatively impermeable to exogenous substances and drugs. Understanding this structure will help us to improve drug delivery using prodrugs, chemical enhancers, iontophoresis, electroporation and ultrasound waves. This review will overview the structure and function of skin, the skin routes, the interactions between skin and drug delivery systems and advantageous and disadvantageous of skin as a route for drug delivery. Thus the properties and interactions of three entities-the skin, the drug and the drug delivery excipients-is going to be considered