PRODUCTION AND EVALUATION OF MEDICATION HAIR POMADE USING LEMON GRASS AND ALOE VERA GEL AGAINST MALASENZIA FURFUR

ABSTRACT This study investigated the bacteriological analysis of selected medicinal herbs on enteric organisms, focusing on Escherichia coli, Shigella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus. The medicinal plants used Psidium guajava (guava), Mangifera indica (mango), Azadirachta indica (neem), and Carica papaya (pawpaw) were selected based on their traditional medicinal applications. Fresh leaves were collected, air-dried, ground, and extracted using aqueous solvents. Phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed the presence of tannins, phenols, saponins, flavonoids, and alkaloids, while cardiac glycosides were absent in guava and neem leaves. The antibacterial activity of the aqueous extracts was assessed using the agar well diffusion method. Results showed varying degrees of inhibition against the test organisms. Staphylococcus aureus exhibited the highest zone of inhibition (15.3 mm) at 75% extract concentration, while E. coli showed the least (8.0 mm) at 25% concentration. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) test indicated that bacterial growth was inhibited at 75% extract concentration, and the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) revealed that bactericidal effects occurred at 50% concentration for E. coli. The study demonstrates that these medicinal plants contain bioactive compounds capable of inhibiting pathogenic bacteria associated with enteric infections. The results provide scientific validation for their traditional use in the treatment of microbial diseases and suggest their potential as alternative or complementary agents to conventional antibiotics. Further studies on quantitative phytochemical composition, toxicity, and formulation standardization are recommended to support therapeutic application.