Physicochemical and Microbiological Evaluation of Agbo (herbal decoction) Sold in Some Parts of Warri Metropolis, Delta-State, Nigeria

Abstract

Agbo which is the Yoruba name for herbal medicine, is an aqueous decoction produced from mixtures of several plant parts such as leaves, stems, roots and barks that is used in treating illnesses and diseases. The study was carried out to ascertain the microbial load, level of heavy metal contamination and antibiotics sensitivity of bacteria isolated from agbo sold in Warri, Delta State. A total of twenty-five (25) agbo samples collected from five (5) locations were analyzed. The pH values of the various agbo samples ranges from 3.38 ± 1.05 to 7.23 ± 1.02. Concentration of Iron ranges from 6.085 ± 1.00-21.904 ± 3.04 mg/l, Lead ranges from 0.006 ± 0.00-0.021 ± 0.08 mg/l, Cadmium ranges from 0.028 ± 0.10-0.102 ± 0.11 mg/l, Mercury ranges from 0.003 ± 0.00-0.010 ± 0.08 mg/l, Arsenic ranges from 0.002 ± 0.00-0.007 ± 0.05 mg/l and Chromium ranges from 0.012 ± 0.03-0.034 ± 0.01 mg/l respectively. The mean total viable count ranges between 25 ± 1.03 X 104-44 ± 0.06 X 104 cfu/ml, total coliforn count ranges between 0.15 ± 0.51 X 104-0.30 ± 0.11 X 104 cfu/ml and total fungal count ranges between 25 ± 1.06-49 ± 1.05 X 104 cfu/ml respectively. S.auerus (29.4%) was the predominant bacteria. This was followed by Klebsiella species (23.5%), E.coli (17.6%), Salmonella species (11.8%), Proteus mirabilis (11.8%) and Enterobacter species (5.9%). Aspergillus species (23.8) was the predominant fungi. This was followed by Candida species (19.0%), Penicillium spp (14.3%), Mucor (14.3%), Botrytis (9.5%), Fusarium spp (9.5%), Geotrichum spp (4.8%) and Phoma spp (4.8%). All the isolates were resistant to ampicillin. S.areus was susceptible to augmentin, gentamycin and ceporex, E. coli was susceptible to ciprofloxacin, gentamycin and nalidixic acid. Klebsiella spp was susceptible to ciprofloxacin and getamycin, Salmonella spp was susceptible to ciprofloxacin, P.mirabilis was susceptible to ciprofloxacin and gentamycin, and Enterobacter spp was susceptible to pefloxacine, augmentin and gentamycin.