This study was carried out to investigate the potability of vendor waters mostly used by the urban dwellers in Idi-Araba, Lagos State, Nigeria. Sixteen water samples were analyzed, eleven from water vendors and four from source (Pumped Wells). One water sample from Nigerian bottling company was used as a control standard. Chemical analysis of the various water samples showed that they contained little and insignificant amount of toxic metals such as cadmium, nickel, lead and silver. Microbiological studies showed that vendor water was more contaminated than the source water and the contamination involved indicator and pathogenic organisms. All the organisms found in source water and more were found in vendor water. Susceptibility studies showed that of all the antibiotics used, the quinolones (Ofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin) and also aminoglycoside (Gentamycin) were the most effective antibiotics against the isolated microorganisms while Cloxacillin was the least active. The results of this investigation therefore suggests that the use of vendor and source waters in Idi-Araba appear unsafe for human consumption and domestic use. There is therefore the need for government and relevant authorities/organizations to provide potable water, stage awareness campaign and mass education on hygienic principles amongst the inhabitants of Surulere and the water vendors in particular.

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Synthetic antibacterial drugs are not only expensive but often associated with toxicity, adverse reactions and resistance. There is therefore the need for drugs of natural origin with little or none of the problems associated with synthetic drugs. This study evaluated the antibacterial potency of the methanolic leaf extracts and herbal cosmetic cream formulations containing the leaf extracts of, Urtica dioica, Amaranthus viridis and Aloe vera which were extracted with methanol by cold maceration method. The antimicrobial susceptibility of some organisms to the leaf extracts and their cream formulations was determined by agar-well diffusion method using working concentrations of 100 mg/mL, 200 mg/mL and 400 mg/mL of the extracts with distilled water as the negative control. Neomycin ® in the concentrations of 6.25 µg/mL, 12.5 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL, and 50 µg/mL was used as the positive control for the leaf extracts while 2% w/v mupirocin (Supirocin ® ) cream and penicillin ® ointment were used as positive control for herbal cream evaluation. The MIC of the leaf extracts was determined by agar dilution method using various concentrations (20 mg/mL to 210 mg/mL). The leaf extracts and the formulated creams exhibited antimicrobial activities comparable with the standard antimicrobial compounds and formulations. Urtica dioica exhibited the highest antibacterial activity. The cream formulation containing a combination of 20% each of Urtica dioica and Aloe vera appeared the most potent against the bacteria used. These results suggest that herbal topical formulation containing the leaf extracts of these plants has potentials in the treatment of dermal bacterial infections.