Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Mercury Based Traditional Siddha Herbo-Metallic Formulation Mega Sanjeevi Mathirai against Selected Urogenital Pathogens

Background: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is referred as an infection of any part of the genitourinary tract and is more prevalent in women due to biological predisposition. Escherichia coli is a common causative organism. Globally, there is a concerning rise in antimicrobial resistance among UTI pathogens, which poses a public health risk. Symptoms of Nīrccuṟukku and Veṭṭai noy stated in Siddha literature are clinically correlated with UTIs. Materials and Methods: This study investigates Mega Sanjeevi Mathirai (MSM), a Siddha herbo-metallic formulation, for its in vitro antibacterial and antifungal properties using Agar-Disc diffusion, Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) methods against selected urogenital pathogens. Results: Substantial inhibition zones against the bacterial strains of “S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. coli and P. aeruginosa and fungal strain of C. albicans”, with significant sensitivity of the latter to Mega Sanjeevi Mathirai. MIC and MBC values against Escherichia coli are 41.2049 μg/mL and 74.1688 μg/mL, respectively. The test drug exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, particularly effective against Candida albicans. Conclusion: The study concludes that Mega Sanjeevi Mathirai has the potential for reducing UTIs, especially in immunocompromised patients. Future research could focus on elucidating the precise mechanisms of action, molecular interactions, toxic responses and proteomic alterations in response to pathogens and this research extend to clinical trials for validating its efficacy in human subjects. Additionally, evaluating herbo-metallic formulations for potential repurposing as treatments for antimicrobial infections could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches and help combat drug resistance.