Investigación e innovación biomédica avanzada

A controlled in vitro study of the antimicrobial capability of homeopathic remedies colibacillinum in the treatment of chronic cystitis

N Xaba

With the rise of antibiotic resistant bacterial infections, alternative methods of treatment need to be explored. Homoeopathic medicine is one such alternative medicine which is globally gaining momentum. Colibacillinum is a homeopathic remedy prepared from an enteropathogenic strain of Escherichia coli, which is used in clinical practice against chronic cystitis caused by E. coli. However, there is no information available on its antibiotic capacity. This study was aimed at determining the antimicrobial efficacy of the homoeopathic remedy colibacillinum, prepared from both Uropathogenic and Enteropathogenic strains of E. coli against E. coli (both Enteropathogenic and Uropathogenic strains) as compared to ethanol (43%, -control) and Ciprofloxacin (+ control). The effect of colibacillinum against E. coli was tested by disc diffusion essay. 30 Mueller-Hinton plates were prepared and inoculated with each test bacteria in turn. 15 plates were inoculated with Uropathogenic strain and the remaining 15 plates were inoculated with Uropathogenic strain of E. coli. A sterile 5mm Whatman® filter paper number 4 discs were individually inoculated with test substances and the controls using a micropipette, before being allowed to dry in the incubator.

The results obtained were that colibacillinum prepared from Uropathogenic and Enteropathogenic strains tests revealed the antibacterial inhibitory effect against Enteropathogenic and Uropathogenic E. coli, exhibited statistically significant. The control group had the highest inhibitory effect, while the negative control had the lowest inhibitory effect.

This study concluded that colibacillinum prepared from Uropathogenic and Enteropathogenic strains of E. coli, are effective in inhibiting the in vitro growth of any of the bacteria tested when evaluated by means of disc diffusion.