Transcript Document

The Effects of Homeopathic and Pharmaceutical Antibiotics on
Microbial Growth
Audrey Orr and Cody Shinkle
Introduction
Since the 1930’s practitioners and scientists have been working
with artificial antibiotics derived from various substances. Today we are
facing a crisis; more and more physicians and patients misuse antibiotics.
This leads to antibiotic resistant bacteria which are often deadly diseases,
and very communicable. However newer research suggests that many
natural substances have antibiotic properties. The natural substance that
most strongly suggested to have antibiotic properties is natural honey
made by bees. In a test unchanged honey out performed nine other
artificial antibiotics. (Aal et al, 2007). Honey even had inhibitory effects
on forms of MRSA, which is a deadly pathogen that is highly resistant to
most antibiotics.(Aal et al, 2007). Currently, there are many pathogens
that are evolving to overcome the majority of antibiotics. This could
cause outbreaks, possibly even plagues. There is hardly anything to be
done to stop the pathogens in today’s technology. Some scientists argue
that the answer could lie within the past, and that answer is most likely
honey. We plan to test the antibiotic properties within our experiment to
support that honey has inherent antibiotic properties in its natural form.
Graphical Data
Results
Our hypothesis that honey contains antibiotic properties was held to be
true. The average radial inhibition zone for honey was 3.33 millimeters.
This is roughly one half of the average radius we found with our penicillin.
These calculations are made with a relatively small collection group of
only three tests, more tests are needed to fully support our findings.
Discussion/ Conclusion
Plate 1: this was our best sample with
the most conclusive data and the
least amount of error.
Plate 3: this was our most
inconclusive plate because not all
of the plate grew bacteria, also
the inhibition zone was not
evident on the penicillin.
Methods and Materials
Materials List:
• Natural honey.
• Sterile Injectable Penicillin; 300,000 units per milliliter strength.
• Sterile 10cm petri dishes.
• Sterile syringe and needle
• Sterile filter paper.
• Agar
• Live Bacteria
• Incubator
• Ruler
Methods:
Make sure to use sterile conditions and utensils.**
We started by soaking sterile filter paper within penicillin for a
positive control, filtered water for a negative control, and honey as the
variable. After soaking the filter paper in the separate solutions for 36
hours we started making the agar. We made a yeast extract agar with
beef bouillon for extra amino acids and proteins. We then poured the agar
into the petri dishes to harden. Immediately following the setting of the
agar we inoculated it with bacteria we collected through out the school
using a inoculating loop. After inoculation we placed the soaked filter
paper in three separated places on the petri dish. We then placed the
petri dishes within the incubator at 30 degrees Celsius for 72 hours or
three days. After three days remove the petri dish and measure the ring
that forms around the different samples, this is called the inhibition zone.
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Plate 2: this was our middle road
plate, there was a even
distribution of bacteria, but there
was also smudges.
Filter paper soaking in penicillin,
honey and filtered water.
Data & Tables
Honey
(Variable)
3mm
Plate 1
3mm
Plate 2
4mm
Plate 3
Penicillin
(positive
control)
Filtered
water
(negative
control)
4mm
0mm
11mm
0mm
In our three agar plates it was evident that honey and penicillin had
inhibition zones, suggesting antibiotic properties. We held a positive
control group and a negative control group along with the honey soaked
disks. Penicillin was the positive control, it had the largest antibiotic
effect, which was expected. The negative control group was the disk
soaked in distilled water, this had no effect on the bacteria growth.
Throughout the study there were several sources of error. Among
these were things such as; the lack of notes along the way, the first agar
we had inoculated and failed to put the soaked disks in before incubation,
as well as the uneven inoculation within the second set of agar plates.
Although the first agar was primarily flawed it did allow us to inoculate
the second set of plates with an assumed common bacteria, giving us the
opportunity to have a more controlled set of plates to test.
If given the chance to redo the tests it would possibly be beneficial
to use one type of bacteria to inoculate. Also, having more than three
agar plates. One of ours was flawed, and more plates would have allowed
us to gather more data. With more data the results would be more
accurate as to the extent of honey’s suggested antibiotic properties.
Due to the inhibition zones present on each of the agar plates
around the disks of honey it is suggested that honey has antibiotic
properties. These properties are less than penicillin but clearly present
when in comparison to the lack of inhibition around the distilled water.
References
Zumla, A., & Lulat, A. Honey- A remedy rediscovered. J R Soc Med, 7, 384-385.
Aal., Hadidy., Mashad., & Sebaie. Antimicrobial Effect of Bee Honey in Comparison
to Antibiotics on Organisms Isolated From Infected Burns. Euro-Mediterranean
Council for Burns and Fire Disasters.
Dustmann, J. H. (1979). Antibacterial effect of honey. Apiacta, 14(1), 7-11.
Inconclusive
0mm
** measurements were taken are of the radius of the inhibition zone of each
substance in millimeters