Evaluation of the Microbial Load and Heavy Metal Content of Two Polyherbal Antimalarial Products on the Ghanaian Market

Autor: Emmanuel Achaab, George Henry Sam, Abraham Yeboah Mensah, Isaac Kingsley Amponsah, Edmund Ekuadzi, Gustav Komlaga, Merlin L. K. Mensah, Bernard Kofi Turkson
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol 2020 (2020)
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM
ISSN: 1741-4288
1741-427X
Popis: The use of herbal products has increased and become more popularized globally; however, limited studies coupled with questions related to the quality and safety of these herbal products have been raised. Herbal products with hope of their nontoxicity may play a role of alternative to overcome the problems of multi-drug resistant pathogens. Medicinal plants used as raw materials for production may have quality and safety issues due to proximity to wastewater application of fungicides and pesticides, which may be directly deposited superficially or absorbed by the plant system. Therefore, possible contamination of some Ghanaian herbal products cannot be ignored, as it may severely affect human life in the process of treatment.Aim. To evaluate the microbial load and the presence of toxic heavy metals inMist Amen FevermixandEdhec Malacure, two polyherbal products used in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Ghana.Methods. Thermo Elemental M5 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) fitted with graphite furnace and an auto sampler was used to determine the heavy metal contents of the herbal products. The herbal samples were evaluated for the microbial load by using the appropriate culture media.Results and Analysis.Mist Amen Fevermix and Edhec Malacurecomplied with the safety limits evaluated for all different microbial counts and contamination. The following heavy metals were present inMist Amen Fevermix and Edhec Malacure Mixture: Fe, Ni, K, Zn, Hg, Cu, Mn, Cr, Cd, Pb, Fe, Cu, K, and Na. Ni was below detectable limit inEdhec Malacure.Conclusion.Mist Amen Fevermix and Edhec Malacuremay be assured of safety. The products contained heavy metals, but all were within acceptable limit established by the FAO/WHO. The levels of microbial contamination were below the maximum acceptable limit.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz: