Project Description

During pandemic situations, the advent of idiopathic diseases, bacteria, fungus and viruses has created unprecedented obstacles to healthy living worldwide. Poor hand hygiene is the major cause of unknown and chronic infections. Thus, cleanliness of hands by using sanitizers or soap and water are crucial aspect in avoiding and limiting the spread of infectious diseases.

This ICMR project aims to analyze the properties like composition, safety, and efficacy of synthetic and natural sanitizers-cum-aerosol. The alcohol-based sanitizers are reported to have serious health implications on susceptible populations including children, immunocompromised individuals and aged population on accidental ingestion, inhalation or exposure to skin. The study involves development of natural, alcohol-free formulations of sanitizers-cum-aerosols using plant parts, natural oils and other fragrance material possessing antimicrobial properties that can potentially substitute the commercially available synthetic sanitizers and analyze its efficacy against opportunistic pathogens. The molecular docking approach is used to analyze binding of key active components of the formulation with target pathogenic proteins.