Microbial Contamination and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Alternative and Complementary Plant Derived Suspensions Sold by Traditional Practitioners in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Le résumé fourni par la source

The rise in the use of herbal products has given rise to various forms of their abuse and adulteration which could lead to fatal effects, such as dysentery, convulsion, renal and liver failures after consumption, making its efficacy doubtful. The aim of this work was to study the safety of commercial plants based medicinal suspensions sold in the city of Yaoundé and to assess their in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. An experimental study was realised in the Department of Microbiology between September 2021 and May 2022 (9 months). This study was initiated with a survey realised within the localities of Yaoundé and the medicinal suspensions were randomly purchased precisely at the round-about TKC, Mvog-ada market, round-about MEEC, round-about Nsam, Mendong entry and EMIA junction. The microbiological quality of the selected twelve medicinal preparations was evaluated using the spread plate technique on specific culture media like Mac Conkey, Salmonella/Shigella, Cetrimide, Chapman and Sabouraud dextrose+chloramphenicol. Then the sensitivity of three bacteria (two Gram negative and one Gram positive) and one yeast to the medicinal preparations was assessed by the disc diffusion method. Subsequently, the medicinal suspensions that were proven microbiologically safe for consumption were used to evaluate their effect on the kinetics of the microorganisms indicated as target by the traditional practitioners. In general, the male gender is capacitated enough to have this activity at heart with professional secrecy conserved at all cost. In a note shell, the microbiological analysis of medicinal preparations reveals that 75% of the medicinal suspensions were contaminated with concentrations ranging from 0 to 4.2 Log CFU/mL in the first week and from 0 to 8.16 Log CFU/mL in the third week, with E. coli dominating in medicinal suspensions, be it in the first or the third week. The antibacterial and antifungal activities with the various techniques used displayed unsuccessful activities conferred by medicinal suspension on the species they aught to deactivate. When compared to the standard curves, the effect of medicinal products on microorganisms with time pointed out a slight difference (between 1.25 to 2.44 Log CFU/mL) to results obtained with the antimicrobial technique. This study proves the absence in safety and efficacy of some traditional products sold by traditional practitioners in the city of Yaoundé and raises the need for the authorities to see deeply into this alarming situation and to put in place standardized procedures and laws that will protect the patients.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.