scholarly journals Microbial Quality and Antibacterial Activity of Herbal Medicines

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-196
Author(s):  
Bibha Shah ◽  
Nabaraj Pokhrel

Use of herbal medicine faces constraint particularly imparting knowledge in identifying whether a product is microbiologically fit for health or not. There has been relatively less research on microbial quality of the herbal medicines in Nepal. In this context, this research has focused on microbial quality of different herbal medicines. A total of twenty one herbal medicines were collected from different sales outlet of Kathmandu. The microbial load in herbal medicine was determined by aerobic plate count method and bacterial isolates were identified based on morphological, cultural and biochemical tests. Out of twenty one herbal medicines analyzed, all were found free from pathogenic bacteria and indicator organism of fecal contamination. However , Bacillus spp. were isolated from ten herbal medicines. The microbial load on Nutrient Agar was found within the range of 1.20x103- 6.06x105 cfu/ ml (or g). Altogether six different Bacillus spp were identified and the most predominant was Bacillus subtilis. In vitro antibacterial activity of the herbal medicines, from which microorganisms were not detected, were determined against six test bacteria by cup plate method. Out of eleven different herbal medicines, five showed the zone of inhibition against all test bacteria and at least two test bacteria were inhibited by each of the herbal medicines. The highest zone of inhibition was 30 mm shown by Chitrakaharitaki Churna of concentration 100mg/ml against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nepal Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 13, No. 2 (2012) 191-196 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njst.v13i2.7735

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 478-482
Author(s):  
Razieh VALIASILL ◽  
Majid AZIZI ◽  
Maasome BAHREINI ◽  
Hossein AROUIE

Medicinal plants may be exposed to a wide range of microbial contamination during pre- and post- harvest stages and they can present high microbial counts. In this study, the microbial quality of 44 samples of dry herbs namely: mint (Menthaspp.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), summer savory (Satureja hortensis), zataria (Zataria multiflora), Indian valerian (Valeriana wallichii), their brewing and extracts were analyzed. Total count using plate count agar medium (PCA), coliform count by Violet Red Bile Agar (VRBL), Enterobacteriacea by Violet Red Bile Glucose (VRBG) were evaluated. Medium Baird-Parker agar (BP) medium and Tryptone Bile X-Gluc (TBX) medium were used for the isolation and enumeration of Staphylococcus aurous and E. coli spp. respectively. Furthermore, Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar medium (XLD) and Bismuth Sulfite Agar medium(BSA) were used for detection of Salmonella spp. Fungal and mold contamination was assessed using yeast extract glucose chloramphenicol agar. The results showed that the contamination of the samples with total count (100%) and Enterobacteriaceae (85%), total coliform (83%), mold and yeast (98%) and E. coli ssp. (2.27) were detected, including in the study samples the absence of pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aurous, Salmonella spp. Moreover, the extract had a lower microbial load in comparison to dry herb samples. Also, the lowest and the highest of contamination rates were observed for Indian valerian and zataria, respectively. According to the results, there is a need to control the environmental conditions and improve hygiene in the production process; even more, it is recommended to choose a suitable decontamination method for disinfection during packing medicinal plants and during post-packing manipulation and transport.


1978 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 811-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. PARADIS ◽  
M. E. STILES

A study of 113 samples of vacuum packaged sliced bologna offered for sale in the retail marketplace revealed a wide range of total microbial loads. The pH was not closely related with age or microbial load, within the manufacturers' expected shelf-life of the product. Approximately 55% of old samples had pH >6.0, and pH was influenced by manufacturer. Confirmed coliform bacteria were detected in 5% of samples, but Escherichia coli was absent (<3/10g). In contrast, group D streptococci were present, sometimes in large numbers, depending on manufacturer. Potentially pathogenic bacteria, including Clostridium perfringens (>10/g), coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus (>25/g) and Salmonella (in 25 g of sample) were generally not detected. Only one sample contained >25 S. aureus/g. No relationship was observed between total microbial load and indicator organisms or pathogenic bacteria.


1994 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 431-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
MOHAMMED I. YAMANI ◽  
BASIM A. AL-DABABSEH

Sixty samples of fresh hoummos (chickpea dip) from 15 restaurants were examined in winter and summer to find out numbers and types of microorganisms present. Five reference samples, produced by the investigators under hygienic conditions, were examined for comparison. The microbial load of commercial hoummos was high, and spherical lactic acid bacteria (LAB) belonging to Lactococcus, Enterococcus and Leuconostoc were the predominant microorganisms. The means of the aerobic plate count (APC) and the counts of LAB and coliforms (1.9 × 108, 1.6 × 108 and 2.9 × 105/g, respectively) in summer samples were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the averages of the same counts in winter samples (2.7 × 107, 1.6 × 107 and 2.2 × 103/g). The average summer and winter yeast counts were 4.2 × 104 and 1.5 × 104g, respectively. In reference samples of hoummos, APC and LAB counts were < 103/g, while the coliform and yeast counts were < 10/g and 102/g, respectively, indicating lack of hygienic practices during the production of commercial hoummos. Salmonella was not detected in any sample, and Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus counts of all samples were < 10/g. The relatively low pH of hoummos (the average pH of all samples was 5.1) and the rapid growth of LAB, possibly accompanied by production of inhibitory substances, may explain the predominance of these bacteria, and could have contributed to the absence of the pathogens examined.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliet Kyayesimira ◽  
Wangalwa Rapheal ◽  
Grace Kagoro Rugunda ◽  
Lejju Julius Bunny ◽  
Morgan Andama ◽  
...  

Abstract Background If hygiene practices along the beef processing nodes at small and medium enterprise (SME) slaughter houses and butcheries are not observed, they may pose a health risk due to microbial contamination. In SME slaughterhouses and butcheries, the risk may be higher due to transmission of foodborne pathogens. This study determined the hygienic practices and microbial quality risk among meat handlers (MH) in SME slaughterhouses and butcheries. Methods Assessment of microbiological quality of beef was carried out at slaughter houses and butcher shops in the districts of Western, Central and Eastern regions of Uganda. A cross sectional study was conducted from June 2017 to January 2018 using observation checklists to record unhygienic practices among the various actors. Microbial load at slaughter and butchery was determined from a total of 317 swab samples collected from carcass, tools, protective clothing and hands of meat handlers. The microbiological quality of beef was evaluated using standard microbiological methods. The samples were inoculated into differential and selective media. Results Butcheries had the highest microbial load on beef carcass ranging from 4.76 log 10 cfu/cm 2 to 7.90 log 10 cfu/cm 2 Total Viable Counts (TVC) while Total Coliform Counts (TCC) ranged from 1.42 log 10 cfu/cm 2 to 3.05 log 10 cfu/cm 2 , E. coli ranged from 0.68 log 10 cfu/cm 2 to 1.06 log 10 cfu/cm 2 and Staphylococcus aureus ranged from 3.25 log 10 cfu/cm 2 to 4.84 log 10 cfu/cm 2 . Salmonella was absent in all the samples analysed. Results of overall microbial quality of beef in Uganda indicated that only TCC (1.60±0.26 log 10 cfu/cm 2 ) of the beef carcass samples at slaughter houses was not significantly above the safe level (p = 0.693). Overall microbial load (TVC, TCC, E. coli and S. aureus ) at butcheries were significantly (p < 0.05) above the safe level. Butcheries of Mbale district had the highest percentage (70%) of beef carcass samples above the TCC safe levels whereas butcheries of Mbarara district had the highest percentage (40%) of beef carcass samples above the E. coli safe levels. TVC from hands and clothes at butchery across the three study districts varied significantly (p=0.007) with the highest counts (7.23 log 10 cfu/cm 2 ) recorded from personnel clothes and lowest (5.46 log 10 cfu/cm 2 ) recorded from hands. On the other hand, swab samples picked from chopping board and working table at the butchery did not show significant variation in TVC, TCC, E. coli and S. aureus microbial loads across the three study districts. Conclusion Hygienic handling of carcasses after slaughter is critical in preventing contamination and ensuring meat safety in informal meat trading sectors in Uganda. Handling practices of beef at Ugandan slaughterhouses and butcheries are not hygienic hence not up to standard and they contribute to microbial contamination of beef posing a risk to consumers. The distribution stage is the most critical period, during which the quality of meat can easily be compromised.


Author(s):  
Anil Gill ◽  
Akash John ◽  
Neelam Iqbal ◽  
Tallat Anwar Faridi ◽  
Sofia Noor

Bakery items are a vital element of a well-balanced diet, and supermarket shelves now stock a wide range of them. Bakery items are the most popular ready-to-eat foods (REF).Objective:To assess the microbial quality of bakery foods (Bread, Cake and patties) and check the total plate count (TPC), bacterial and yeast count Methods:The analysis of the microbial quality of bakery products was determined for three different bakery products (bread, cake and patties) at ten different locations collected from a renowned bakery in Lahore, Pakistan. The samples were assessed under complete hygienic conditions by standardized plate count (TPC) and MPN method. Micro-organisms (Coliform, Fecal Coliform and Yeast) were lately confirmed by their morphological characteristics and biochemical tests Results: Among the three commodities, bread was found to be highly contaminated by micro-organisms and the total plate count recorded was 4.7 x 105cfu g-1collected from sector I9 which is not consumable. Whereas Patties showed the number of TPC as 1.6 x 105 cfu g-1also collected from sector I9. Cake was revealed as least infected bakery product i.e., 5.7 x 104 cfu g-1. The above results showed that sector I9 is highly contaminated and a threat for health. Bacterial plate count (Coliform and Fecal Coliform count) was highly measured in bread as 460 MPN g-1 taken from sector I5 where as it remains under the permissible limit determined by WHO, 1994 in remaining sectors Conclusions:In conclusion the bakery food is contaminated by the use of un-hygienic water, miss handled during the process after baking i.e., slicing, serving and packaging. To avoid a possible epidemic of food borne illness, competent authorities should conduct a stricter and more stringent inspection of  REFs sold to clients in bakeries.


2021 ◽  
pp. 50-55
Author(s):  
Л. И. НУРГАЛИЕВА ◽  
Д.М. КУАТБЕКОВА

Предменструальный синдром (ПМС) - патологический симптомокомплекс, который значительно снижает качество жизни женщины. Несмотря на то, что этиология и патогенез до настоящего времени изучены недостаточно, определены направления в диагностике, лечении и профилактике, которым необходимо следовать. Лечение ПМС должно быть дифференцированным, учитывающим состояние общего и репродуктивного здоровья женщины, сопутствующие заболевания, степень тяжести ПМС, переносимость терапии и т. д.В настоящее время все более широкое применение в лечении ПМС находят фитопрепараты (ФП). Целью исследования явилось изучение эффективности фитопрепарата «Эвика» в лечении ПМС легкой и средней формы. Полученные результаты свидетельствуют об эффективности данного препарата в устранении вегетососудистых, отечных и психоэмоциональных симптомов ПМС, что определяет «Эвику», как препарат выбора у пациенток с ПМС, выраженной вегетососудистой и психоэмоциональной симптоматики. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a pathological symptom complex that significantly reduces a woman's quality of life. Despite the fact that the etiology and pathogenesis have not been studied enough to date, the directions in diagnosis, treatment and prevention that need to be followed have been identified. Treatment of PMS should be differentiated, taking into account the state of a woman's general and reproductive health, concomitant diseases, the severity of PMS, the tolerability of therapy, etc. Currently, herbal medicines are increasingly used in the treatment of PMS. The aim of the study was to learn the effectiveness of the herbal medicine "Eviсa" in the treatment of mild and moderate PMS. The results obtained indicate the effectiveness of this drug in eliminating vegetativevascular, edematous and psychoemotional symptoms of PMS, which defines "Evica" as the medication of choice in patients with PMS, vegetativevascular and psychoemotional symptoms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 70-75
Author(s):  
Nagendra Prasad Yadav ◽  
Rakesh Kumar Yadav ◽  
Satyam Prakash

Objectives: To determine the level of bacterial contamination in food (Panipuri) available in market of Janakpur, Dhanusha, Nepal. Methods: Total 120 samples of Panipuri (60 solid matters and 60 masalaa Pani) collected aseptically from the market were transported to the microbiology laboratory and processed for microbial count by serial dilution technique. Microbial load and presence of pathogen were detected in each sample. Results: Analysis of the food samples revealed that 70% of Panipuri samples had high loads of bacterial pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella spp, Pseudomonas spp, Bacillus spp.  Conclusion: This study depicted that the street vended food Panipuri of Janakpur are highly contaminated with pathogenic bacteria which can cause health risk to consumers. Thus, it is suggested that regular monitoring of the quality of street foods must be practiced to avoid any food bone illness in future.


Author(s):  
Naritsara Toobpeng ◽  
Pannapa Powthong ◽  
Pattra Suntornthiticharoen

  Objective: The objective of this investigation was to assess the biological activity of fresh fruit juices and freeze dried fruit juices including antioxidant and antibacterial activity.Methods: The fruits used in this study were Schleichera oleosa (Lour.) Oken, Carissa carandas L., and Sandoricum koetjape (Burm.f.) Merr. The fresh juice sample (FJS) was extracted and also prepared for freeze drying sample (FDS) by freeze dryer. The antioxidant capacity of FJS and FDS was assessed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assays and determination for total phenolic contents (TPCs) by Folin–Ciocalteu’s reagent. Antimicrobial tests were carried out by agar diffusion methods and evaluated by measuring the zone of inhibition against 10 isolates of pathogenic bacteria.Results: The highest antioxidant activity of FJS and FDS was found in S. oleosa and related to the scavenging effect on DPPH radical of FJS (100% concentration) and FDS (200 mg/ml) was found in the value of 93.05±0.31% and 82.18±0.33%, respectively. TPC of FJS and FDS from S. oleosa at the same concentration as in the DPPH assay was 1,003.53±1.96 ug GAE/300 g of matter and 827.77±23.15 ug GAE/100 ml of matter, respectively. Both FJS and FDS revealed antibacterial activity. The zone of inhibition of FJS was ranging from 8.3±0.6 to 24.0±1.0 mm and FDS values of 7.3±0.5-21.0±0.9 mm. The most potent sample against bacteria was FJS and FDS from S. oleosa which FJSs against Escherichia coli ESBL and FDS against Pseudomonas aeruginosa MDR2.Conclusion: Fruit juices of S. oleosa, C. carandas, and S. koetjape associated with antioxidant activity in the form of both fresh fruit juices and FDS. The result of this study showed that the value of DPPH and TPCs were slightly decreased in FDS compare with fresh juice. Screening of FJS and FDS of C. carandas revealed broad spectrum antibacterial activity. However, FJS of S. oleosa and S. koetjape showed inhibition of growth of bacteria, but few of FDS from these fruits could inhibit limited bacterial isolates. For antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria, the samples of fresh and freeze dried exhibited a different degree of activity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-206
Author(s):  
L. Bolelli ◽  
Elida Nora Ferri ◽  
Stefano Sangiorgi ◽  
Giuseppe Novelli ◽  
Stefano Girotti

Abstract Effective resin disinfection is mandatory to ensure the microbiological quality of water treated by domestic softeners. The wet and sometimes warm environment inside the softener is ideal for bacteria growth. Our research was focused on the evaluation of the microbial quality of water from softeners sanitized by chlorine solutions or by electrolytic systems. We employed the heterotrophic plate count and specific tests to monitor the presence of opportunistic and pathogenic bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, enterococci, and coliforms). Completely new devices were equipped with a commercially available electrolytic system or with a newly patented one or sanitized by automatic or manual addition of chlorine solutions. In all cases, the contamination was reduced, not completely avoided. In particular, the patented electrolytic system significantly reduced bacterial proliferation in strongly contaminated devices. Our data confirm the difficulties encountered to solve the problem of microbiological quality of softened water and offer encouraging information on new possible solutions. This article has been made Open Access thanks to the generous support of a global network of libraries as part of the Knowledge Unlatched Select initiative.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-242
Author(s):  
IA Allamin ◽  
MB Borkoma ◽  
M Ibu Abbas ◽  
MA Wazin

The study was conducted to assess the bacteriological quality of sliced fruits, Fresh cut fruits collected from different stationary vendors in Maiduguri metropolis and were analysed to determine their bacteriological quality. All samples examined were contaminated with bacteria load. The Total aerobic plate count (TAPC) range from 1.8x105 – 3.4x105 for pawpaw, 1.9x105- 6.8x105 for pineapple and 1.5x105- 5.1x105 for watermelon, Likewise Total coliforms count range from 1.0x104 – 2.0x104 for pawpaw, 1.0x104- 3.8x104 for pineapple and 1.0x105- 4.6x104 for watermelon. The bacterial isolate were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, E.coli, Pseudomonas, Shigella sp. and Salmonella sp. The results obtained shows that sliced fruits sold in Maiduguri metropolis are habited by pathogenic bacteria. Therefore educating our fruit vendors on food hygiene, adequate packaging/covering of fruits on display for sale and washing of fruits before consumption is recommended. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i2.12645 International Journal of Environment Vol.4(2) 2015: 236-242


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