The Role of Aloe Vera Extract on Bacterial Count in the Urine of Albino Rats Infected with Proteus Mirabilis and its Comparison with Ciprofloxacin

Abstract

Proteus mirabilis, a Gram-negative pathogen, is most frequently associated with urinary tract infections. When attached to urinary tract, this pathogen infects kidney more commonly than other pathogens. It may cause fever, bacteremia, acute pyelonephritis, and renal stones. If there is onehundred thousand colony forming units per milliliter in the urine, this is indicative of a urinary tract infection. Aloevera has been documented to have an important antimicrobial activity as it efficiently kills or significantly decrease or remove the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli etc. The purpose of this study was to understand the roleof Aloe verain Protues mirabilis induced urinary tract infection and its comparison with Ciprofloxacin, considering bacterial count as a marker of infection in order to determine antimicrobial activity of Aloe vera. Five groups of 50 female albino rats, containing 10 in each group were used. Through artificial means, UTI was introduced in all animals. First group was kept as experimental control. The positive control group was given Ciprofloxacin. Three different doses of aqueous extract of Aloe vera whole leaf were used in group rest of three groups. Bacterial count in urine was calculated on day 0, 1, 5, 10 and 15, in advance and subsequent to the administration of Ciprofloxacin and Aloe vera extract (in three different doses). Assessment for bacterial count in urine among three groups showed that, at low doses Aloevera had insignificant effect, but had modest antibacterial outcome at intermediate dose (p-value 0.037),while at a high dose the result was nearly equivalent with Ciprofloxacin (p-value 0.970). Conclusion: The reduction in urinary bacterial count with Aloe vera extract is comparable to ciprofloxacin indicating its activity against Proteus mirabilis. It is a potential therapeutic remedy in patients where Ciprofloxacin cannot be used, but it takes longer time to exert its effect.