Author

Vikash Rana and Navneet Bithel

Abstract

The study investigates the antimicrobial properties of herbal Dhoop and Agarbatti, prepared by using herbal ingredients for disinfection as an alternative source to synthetic incense sticks which are usually made up of resins, powdered charcoal, perfumes etc.. The fumes were tested against four bacterial species i.e., Staphylococcus caprae, Deinococcus ficus, Priestia endophytica, and Bacillus subtilis by using CFU/m3 (colony forming unit per cubic meter) count and density. Bacterial isolates were identified through biochemical tests, Gram staining, and molecular sequencing. Additionally, the fumes demonstrated antifungal activity against six fungi- Aspergillus niger,Mucor mucedo, Rhizopus stolonifer, Curvularia lunata, Alternaria alternata and Penicillium chrysogenum. The observed antimicrobial effects are attributed to various secondary metabolites, particularly sesquiterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, detected through GC-MS analysis. Notable compounds which contribute to the fumigation’s efficacy include alpha selinene, cyperene, and germacrone. This research highlights the potential of herbal Dhoop and Agarbatti as natural alternatives for microbial disinfection.

Pages: 25-34

Doi Number 10.61289/jibs2025.07.22.0497

Keywords Herbal agarbatti stick, Antimicrobial effect, Herbal Dhoop, GC-MS- Solvent trap.