Antimicrobial potential of four mica drugs

Mica drugs, a group of herbo-metallic traditional preparations comprising biotite mica as the major mineral ingredient, are prescribed for skin disorders and respiratory ailments and other chronic conditions in South Asian countries, particularly India and Sri Lanka. Mica-based drugs (Abhrak drugs) are subjected to unique and varied preparation procedures and the bioactivity of the drugs can be affected by drug-processing conditions, the ingredients used and the mica composition.The current study aimed to evaluate and compare, on the basis of their physical and chemical characteristics, the antimicrobial potential of two commercial mica drugs AbBb (Abhrakbhashma) and AbCh (Abhrak Chenhuram) and two mica drugs ABL1 (AbhrakBhasma Laboratory Prepared 1) and ABL2 (AbhrakBhasma Laboratory Prepared 2) prepared in the laboratory under different conditions. Three of the four mica drugs inhibited the tested Gram-negative bacteria and the antibacterial activity of the mica drugs depends on their constituents and the methods of preparation.