ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MICROORGANISMS FROM HERBAL MIXTURES SOLD AT OWERRI METROPOLIS

The safety, efficacy and quality of herbal mixtures have been an important concern for health authorities and health professional, especially now there is increase in the use of herbal mixtures. This study was aimed at isolation and identification of microorganisms from some liquid herbal mixtures sold in Owerri metropolis,Imo State, South East of Nigeria. A total of forty-five samples of herbal mixture were selected at random,three samples of same mixtures from three different locations respectively, from herbal shops in Enugu metropolis and were analysed at Orange Research and Diagnostic Laboratory in Owerri, samples were inoculated into, MaCkonkey agar, CLED and Chocolate agar plates, and incubated at 37oC for 24 hrs. Sabroaud dextrose agar slants were also inoculated for the isolation of fungi for 7days. Viable bacterial counts of the samples were also performed using nutrient agar. The organisms isolated were identified using biochemical tests, and the following organisms were identified, Escherichia coli spp, Enterobacter spp, Aspergillus spp, Rhizopus spp, Bacillus spp, mucor spp.Some of the herbal medicine were highly contaminated and most of the organisms, isolated were gotten through poor handling, poor manufacturing of this herbal mixtures and raw materials used in preparing this herbal mixtures.