Bioactive antimicrobial agents for finishing of textiles for health care products

Various antimicrobial textile materials are developed using a variety of active agents which include synthetic antimicrobial agents such as triclosan, metal and their salts, phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds, and organometallics. Although synthetic antimicrobial agents effectively inhibit the growth of microbes, most of them are toxic, can cause adverse effects on human health, and have environmental issues. Present studies prove that several plant extracts could be effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria depending on the type of components present in the plant extract. Hence, the research on eco-friendly antimicrobial agents and their application on various textile products gain worldwide importance. Natural antimicrobial compounds derived from plants such as neem, tea tree, azuki beans, aloe vera, tulsi leaves (Ocimum sanctum), clove oil, pomegranate rind, turmeric, eucalyptus oil, onion skin, and pulp extracts, are being used in the finishing of textiles. This paper highlights the possibilities of using these bioactive substances for imparting antimicrobial property to the textiles for developing health care products.