Microbiological Contamination and Anti-bacterial Traits of Common Oral Herbal Medicinal Products within Dhaka Metropolis

Aims: Present study endeavored to examine the growth and survival of microorganisms within 6 categories of oral herbal medicines commonly used by the community within Dhaka metropolis.

Methodology: Samples were analyzed for the presence of bacteria and fungi up to 14 days. The microbial analysis was conducted by conventional cultural and biochemical methods. The in vitro anti-bacterial activity of the medicines was also detected employing agar well diffusion method.

Results: Initially all samples were found to be contaminated with total viable bacteria (102-104cfu/ml); however, the fungal and pathogenic growth was not observed. In course of time, the bacterial and fungal load increased up to 106cfu/ml and 103cfu/ml, respectively in most of the samples up to 14 days. The staphylococcal growth commenced after 48 hours in all samples and vigorously increased in two samples up to 105cfu/ml. Two categories of samples were found to be populated with Klebsiella spp. (102cfu/ ml); while other pathogenic bacteria were completely absent. Out of 6 categories of samples tested, 4 were found to exhibit the anti-bacterial trait against a few bacteria examined. Significant activity was found for sample 1 against E. coli, and sample 3 against E. coli and Staphylococcus spp. Sample 2 exhibited moderate activity against 4 test bacteria; while sample 4 was also noticed to be moderately active against 2 test bacteria.

Conclusion: Overall, together with the trivial anti-bacterial features, the appearance of massive bacteria and fungi after 14 days in most of the samples with an excessive staphylococcal load may pose the probable health risks to the medicine users.