Drug-resistant-diarrhoeagenic bacteria are currently emerging healthcare challenge. This study investigated the effects of Vernonia amygdalina, Garcinia kola, tetracycline and metronidazole combinations on such bacteria. Agar well diffusion method was employed to determine the inhibitory effects of the herbal extracts on diarrhoeagenic bacteria while Time-Kill Assay was used to determine bactericidal effects of the extracts against test isolates. Interactions between plant extracts and antibiotics were investigated using Checkerboard assay. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of the extracts against the bacterial isolates ranged between 3.125–50 mg/mL, while those of tetracycline and metronidazole ranged from 30–50 μg/mL. Synergism was observed against B. cereus and S. aureus for metronidazole + aqueous G. kola at all ratios. Generally, the combinations aqueous G. kola + ethanolic G. kola and aqueous G. kola + ethanolic V. amygdalina showed more pronounced synergism against the Staphylococcus aureus than B. cereus isolates with the fractional inhibition concentration (FIC) indices ranging from 0.32–0.95. Synergism of tetracycline + crude extracts and metronidazole combinations were more pronounced on the test isolates and especially on the Gram-negative organisms with FIC indices ranging from 0.41–0.91. Conclusion: The herbal extracts combinations and extracts–antibiotics combinations are synergistic on diarrhoeagenic bacteria at defined combination ratios.
Background: Consumption of herbal products has increased dramatically during the last few decades. Although there have been allegations that herbal products are made in unsanitary conditions resulting in microbial contamination and health hazards consumed by patients. Aim: The study is aimed at investigating the microbial quality of commonly sold herbal products in Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of seven (7) liquid herbal products (AB, GW, EC, IM, DR, GC and BM) were randomly purchased from local herbal shops and pharmacy shops in Abraka. Samples were aseptically measured out around the zones of a Bunsen fame and the total viable bacteria and fungi counts of samples were determined using serial dilution and spread plate method. Results: The total bacterial count in the herbal products ranged from 1.8 x 106 to 7.5 x 106. Proteus spp had the highest frequency of occurrence with a percentage of 50% while Staphylococcus spp. occurred the least with a percentage of 10% while Candida spp. had the highest percentage occurrence for fungi isolates and Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus occurs less with percentage occurrence of 10 and 20% respectively. The study also revealed that Tarivid, Streptomycin and Gentamycin were susceptible to all bacterial isolated from the herbal products with average zone of inhibition of 18.25±1.39, 19.75±3.39 and 23.13±2.0.8 respectively. Conclusion: The finding of this study revealed that herbal products sold in Abrakawere contaminated with microorganisms, some of which are pathogenic and thus, these herbal products can serve as a means of spreading infections among the consumers. Keywords: Herbal, microorganism, bacteria, Abraka.
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