Life Sciences & Biotechnology
Title : | Effects of Azadirachta indica and Camellia sinensis extracts and their combinations in reducing human axillary malodour |
Area of research : | Life Sciences & Biotechnology |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Boudhayan Bandyopadhyay, Adamas University, West Bengal |
Timeline Start Year : | 2022 |
Timeline End Year : | 2024 |
Contact info : | boudhayan1@gmail.com |
Equipments : | Peristaltic Pump
Micro-titre Plate Reader
Protein Electrophoresis Equipment and Power Pack |
Details
Executive Summary : | The malodour is one of the intrinsic problems for majority of human population. Individual possessing unpleasant body odour suffers from psychological and social stress. However, studies suggest that the human sweat is almost odourless. Because of some skin bacteria the malodour arises [1, 2]. The microbiota at underarm is primarily responsible for the human body odour. Staphylococcus sp., Cutibacterium sp. and Corynebacterium sp. are known to be the major colonizing genera of the axillary microbiota [3]. The major components of axillary malodour are the thioalcohol and volatile fatty acids. There are four different traces of thioalcohols identified in the axillary secretion, among which the abundance of 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3M3SH) is highest [4, 5]. The precursor of 3M3SH is Cys-Gly-3M3SH which is an L-cysteinylglycine dipeptide-conjugated alcohol, odourless by its nature and secreted by apocrine glands. S. hominis, S. lugdunensis and S. haemolyticus are identified to be responsible for their activities to transform this Cys-Gly-3M3SH to volatile 3M3SH [6]. Studies by Rudden et. al.[7] have identified PatB (Putative Cysteine-S-conjugate β-lyase) enzyme in S. hominis as the C-S lyase responsible for breaking down of Cys-3M3SH to liberate volatile thioalcohol, which excretes out of the cell and creates malodour. Since time immemorial people have been using several techniques to get rid of the malodour. In recent years, deodorants and perfumes are used extensively to mask the odour, the main components of these which being triclosan and aluminium salts which possess bactericidal and antiperspirant properties [8]. The main problem behind the usage of these deodorants and perfumes are that they are synthetic and may lead to several health problems if used for long times [9]. Therefore, herbal remedies may serve as an alternative to minimize this problem and that the herbal products usually have no adverse effects to the users, besides being biodegradable. This proposal has been developed keeping into account of medicinal and herbal properties of neem (Azadirachta indica) and tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves as have been reported by various authors[10-15]. Literature review indicates that has been almost no work done to investigate the inhibitory effect of neem and tea leaf extracts and their combinations on the inhibition of the malodour forming bacteria i.e. S. hominis, S. lugdunensis and S. haemolyticus. The study of the inhibitory effect of the above-mentioned extracts on the enzymatic activity of PatB will be helpful to elucidate the molecular basis of the inhibitory effect. The study will also investigate the effects of combination of the two leaf extracts. This finding may lead to the development of natural deodorant in near future and have great potential in terms of both scientific and industrial application, besides help in improving the understanding of age-old herbal remedies as have been mentioned in our ancient ayurvedic texts. |
Total Budget (INR): | 30,24,706 |
Organizations involved