Determination of in vitro Antimicrovial Action of Homoeopathic Medicines Arnica montana, Atropa Belladonna and Baptisia Tinctoria Against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Using Disc Diffusion Assay

Introduction-As the burden of Staphylococcus aureus infections keeps on rising, the usage of antibiotics have also seen an exponential increase, hence leading to its overuse and increase in the prevalence of antibiotic resistant Staphylococcal infections. This growing challenge necessitates a solution from other healthcare systems that can offer not only relief to patients with weakened immune systems, but also offer alternative treatment strategies to treat the bacterial infections without resorting to antibiotics as the immediate course of action. Aims and Objectives-This study aimed to expand the horizons of the Homeopathic system of medicine by investigating the specific effects of clinically employed remedies, Arnica, Belladonna, and Baptisia against Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections(MRSA), in an in-vitro environment. The objectives were to evaluate and compare the zone of inhibition against of these drugs against MRSA and to compare the action of the medicines between samples of MRSA and MSSA Materials and Methods-20 strains of microbial isolates of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and 20 strains of Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus were used from the stock cultures from the Microbiology laboratory. Arnica montana 30ch, Atropa belladonna 30ch, Baptisia tinctoria 30 ch were used as the medicines for the study. Rectified spirit, distilled water and vancomycin were used as the control groups. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by measuring the zone of inhibition in the disc diffusion assay at 24 hours of culture in Muller Hinton Agar, and wherever applicable, they were assessed and categorized using the Kirby Bauer chart. The experiment was repeated on all 40 samples using the agar well method as well. Results-After 24 hours of disc diffusion assay, Vancomycin exhibited a significant elevation in the zone of inhibition in both MRSA and MSSA samples, with mean zone of inhibition of 7.45mm and 8.9mm, respectively (p=0.00). Baptisia also demonstrated a noteworthy increase in the zone of inhibition in the MSSA, with a mean increase of 1.3mm (p <0.05), which is highest among the medicine group. In contrast, Arnica displayed only minimal zones of inhibition, which were not statistically significant. Belladonna and distilled water, on the other hand, did not induce any changes in the zone of inhibition in either the MRSA or MSSA samples. Following the 24-hour Agar well diffusion method, Baptisia displayed a significant increase in the zone of inhibition for both MRSA and MSSA samples, with mean zones of 0.8mm and 1.5mm, respectively (p<0.05). Similarly, Belladonna exhibited a notable enhancement in the zone of inhibition, with a mean increase of 0.6mm (p<0.05) in MRSA samples. Rectified spirit also revealed statistically significant zones of inhibition in both MRSA and MSSA samples (p<0.05). On the other hand, Arnica showed minor alterations in both MRSA and MSSA samples, but were not statistically significant. In contrast, distilled water did not produce any changes in the zone of inhibition for either the MRSA or MSSA samples. Conclusion-Baptisia demonstrated promising antimicrobial effects against both MRSA and MSSA. Belladonna showed significant action on MSSA samples. Arnica and distilled water showed no statistically significant results. Additionally, the unexpected antimicrobial activity of Rectified spirit raises intriguing questions about its role as an antibiotic. There is a significant difference of action of the medicines between MRSA and MSSA samples. This shows that Baptisia can be used as a potential complementary treatment option for MRSA infections. Further research is essential to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the antimicrobial actions of these Homoeopathic remedies, and explore their applications as alternatives to traditional antibiotics.