Quality-Based Microbial Contamination Analysis of Nutraceuticals

摘要

The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial contaminations of medicinal plants used as traditional herbal medicines sold in pharmacies in Cotonou in Benin. Twenty (20) medicinal plants involved in the preparation of improved herbal medicines, eleven (11)improved herbal medicines sold in pharmacies and fourteen (14) improved herbal medicines sold by herbalists were studies. The microbial contaminations (mesophilic bacteria, yeasts and moulds) of the samples were analyzed. Our results revealed that the samples were contaminated with a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Samples sold by herbalists were the most highly contaminated. The herbal medicines sold in pharmacies were also contaminated by Escherichia coli (81.82%), Staphylococcus aureus 27.27% and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.18%). These products did not meet the European Pharmacopoeia standards. Our data suggest that nutraceutical processing as well as storage conditions among others must be critically improved in order to meet the standards required for any pharmaceutical drugs.