Journal of Natural Remedies

C. O. Esimone , K. F. Chah , C. S. Ikejide

Abstract

Objective: The present work is a microbiological quality control study on some herbal preparations marketed in south eastern Nigeria. Materials and methods: Ten solid and ten liquid herbal preparations collected from different herbalists in south eastern Nigeria were assayed for their bacterial and fungal load using the spread plate technique. All the microbial contaminant were characterised at least to genera level. Results: The herbal preparations were heavily contaminated with bacteria and fungi at levels far above the officially stipulated limit for oral pharmaceutical preparations. A total of 45 bacterial (including E. coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Proteus, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus) and 20 fungal (including Candida, Microsporium and Curvularia) strains were isolated from the preparations. Conclusions: Due to the high degree of microbial contamination of these herbal medicines, and the pathogenic potentials of many of the isolates, it is very necessary that herbalists should be enlightened about Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Also regular microbiological monitoring of herbal preparations marketed in Nigeria is advocated.

Keywords

Microbiological Quality Control, Herbal Medicines, South Eastern Nigeria

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C. O. Esimone , J. M. Okonta , C. O. Ezugwu

Abstract

Objective: The hypoglycaemic effect of A. occidentale aqueous leaf extract was evaluated on normoglycaemic and hyperglycaemic rabbits. Materials and methods: Antidiabetic activity of A. occidentale was evaluated using alloxan (80 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) induced hyperglycemic rabbits. The potency of extract was compared with that of tolbutamide. The acute toxicity was determined using mice. Results: A dose 400 mg/ kg body weight of the extracts caused maximum lowering of blood sugar levels in both normal and alloxanized rabbits. The fasting blood sugar in the normoglycemic rabbits was reduced from 184.6 mg% to 74.2 mg% in three hours; while in alloxanized rabbits, blood sugar was reduced from 447.6 mg% to 242.8 mg% in three hours. The LD₅₀ of the extract in mice was 4000 mg/kg body weight when given intraperitoneally. Conclusion: A. occidentale is almost equipotent to tolbutamide in its ability to reduce the blood sugar levels. The above observation is consistent with the use of A. occidentale in foklore diabetes management.

Keywords

Anacardium Occidentale, Hypoglycaemic Activity, Alloxan

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