SAFETY EVALUATION OF SOME READY-TO-USE HERBAL CONCOCTIONS SOLD WITHIN ILORIN METROPOLIS
Loading...
Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
NSUK Journal of Science & Technology,
Abstract
Safety and quality of indigenous herbal concoctions in Nigeria is of public health concern as the consumption is on the increase. Hence,
this study was conducted to evaluate microbial and heavy metals contaminants in selected ready –to- use herbal concoctions within Ilorin
metropolis. The heterotrophic microbial counts using pour plate method were assessed and the contaminations of selected heavy metals
were analyzed using Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer. The viable plate count for bacteria and fungi ranged between 2.0 ×104 - 10.5
×105 CFU/ml and 2.0 ×104- 8.3×105 respectively. Bacteria and fungi isolated include Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus,
Citrobacter freundii, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiellia pneumoniae, Corynebacterium kutscheri, Aeromonas hydrophilia,
Staphylococcus epidermis, S. cerevisae, Gliocladium sp., Penicillum sp., A. alternata, Aspergillus niger, C. albicans, R. stolonifer,
Geotrichum sp and A. flavus respectively. Pb and Cu level concentrations were found to be in the range of 0.1-0.3mg/L and 0.01- 074
mg/L respectively. The concentration of Pb and Cu were generally high and above the safe limits set by WHO/FAO while Cd was not
detected in any of the samples. Generally, the consumers of these herbal products are unwittingly exposed to heavy metal poisoning and
microbial contaminants. It is suggested that regulatory bodies should intensify efforts to minimize human exposure risk.