ABSTRACT

The in-vitro antimicrobial activity of some commercialized registered herbal mixtures sold in Umuahia were investigated. Six (6) registered herbal mixtures (Beta bitters, Quick herbal, Goko herbal, Tapiakah bitters, Clara bitter and Fast action plus) purchased from different locations within Umuahia in Abia states Nigeria, were screened for antimicrobial activity against the isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans, using agar well method. Ciprofloxacin (5pg/ml) and fluconazole (25pg/ml) were used as standards for comparison. The result of the antimicrobial activity of the herbal mixtures against the test microorganisms indicated that the six (6) registered herbal mixtures had varying degrees of activities against the test organisms. Candida albicans showed the highest sensitivity (with an inhibition zone diameter of 21.0mm) followed by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus (with an inhibition zone 20.5mm), then Aspergillus niger with (19.5 mm), whereas Staphylococcus aureus had the least inhibition zone of (18.0mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration ofthe various herbal mixtures shows that the herbal mixtures had a bactericidal/fungicidal effect against all test microorganisms with minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) values ranging from 50mg/ml-100mg/ml. This sturdy has shown herbal mixtures possess some antimicrobial activity against some human pathogens but there is need to standardize, monitor and regulate herbal mixtures available in the Nigerian markets for better result