LETTER: The most commonly known side effect of alcohol-based hand sanitisers is their tendency to dry the skin and if used for the long term, they strip the skin's natural oil and protection barrier, which also exposes the skin to ultraviolet radiation.
They also kill all the good bacteria on our skin. This can lead to the creation of a stronger strain of bacteria that are able to tolerate antibiotic drugs.
Certain hand sanitisers trigger allergic reactions, such as rashes, itching, redness, blisters, the peeling of skin or breathing difficulties if accidentally inhaled. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers are flammable as well.
Let us look at five plant extracts that could be as equally effective as alcohol-based hand sanitisers without these side effects — neem, ginger, clove, mint and aloe vera.
Neem has been used for centuries as an anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal substance.
Nimbidin and quercetin are some of the many active compounds in neem that has proven anti-microbial and anti-fungal capabilities based on research. Studies also show that neem extracts are proven to combat dengue, chicken pox, and herpes simplex virus, among many other viral diseases.
As for ginger, its extract contains naphthalenamine, decanal, and alfa-copaene. Studies have shown that ginger effectively inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and E. Coli, which are responsible for most common bacterial infections.
In addition, clove essential oil is found to inhibit the growth of all three microorganisms. It is interesting to note that clove has been used as an anti-microbial for centuries.
Clove's major compound, known as eugenol, has the ability to penetrate biofilm (bacteria that lives together protected by a slimy film). Clove is also known to possess high anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-septic and, most importantly, anti-viral properties.
Mint leaf extracts contain salicylic acid, which protects the skin and research has shown that it has anti-microbial properties as well. The growth of Staphylococcus aureus and E. Coli has also been found to be inhibited by mint leaf extracts.
Aloe vera has many uses, and it acts as a moisturiser, and it exhibits anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties due to the presence of polyphenols. Aloe vera can also act as a wound healer.
The presence of aloe vera in herbal formulated hand sanitiser will not strip the oils from the skin. The effects of this concoction have proven to be more effective than synthetic phenol, minus all the side effects that come from chemical-based hand sanitisers.
In general, we would need to avoid all types of germs, bacteria and viruses using hand sanitisers to protect ourselves during the pandemic.
A formulation that combines all these plus a few other extracts, which can include lemon, turmeric, cinnamon and basil, has been found to kill 99.9 per cent of germs. Initial lab tests have also shown that the formulation that includes some of these extracts can keep the hands germ-free for at least four to five hours.
This timeframe should be enough for us to stay protected until we have access to soap and water. The study of herbal and plant extracts will broaden our perspective into looking at chemical-free alternatives as a viable solution.
Malaysia's very own herbal institution, the Herbal Medicine Research Centre, which was established in 2001, provide scientific evidence for the efficacy and safety of herbal products. In 2015, they published the Malaysian Herbal Monograph with the aim of promoting Malaysian medicinal plants to help in the development of the herbal industry in Malaysia.
So, why not begin to source for solutions within nature?
DR PRAVEENA
KUALA LUMPUR
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times