Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of pathogenic bacteria isolated from herbal medicines in Kenya
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Date
2015
Authors
Onyambu, M.O.
Muhu, T. K.
Moturi, M.
Joachim, N.
Mwangi, W.G.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Background: The widespread use of use of herbal medicine has led to its approval by WHO
has a factor in the attainment of universal health care coverage together with conventional
medicine. However, unlike conventional medicine, herbal medicine has many challenges yet
to be addressed. Pathogenic Microbial contamination has been cited as a serious quality
issue in previous studies done in Kenya and other countries with no regulation of herbal
medicines. Despite newer techniques of microbial analysis taking shape in routine microbial
identification and characterization, quality control laboratories use pharmacopoeia
techniques address same microorganisms without due regard to possible newer
contaminants which may not be detected by the recommended techniques.
Objective: This study was therefore designed to use genotypic techniques not utilized
before in quality control laboratories for microbial contaminant determination in herbal and
nonsterile pharmaceuticals
Materials and methods; 16SrRNA a unique conserved gene to bacteria was used to identify
bacteria that failed to be determined by routine methods. Bacterial contaminants were
isolated from thirty samples of registered and nonregistered herbal products collected by
random purposive sampling from five Kenyan provinces. Identification of the unknown
isolates was done first by use of selective and differential media with the procedure in the
BP 2007, followed by biochemical identification by API 20E commercial kit with the
procedure given by the manufacturer. Genotypic characterization was finally carried out for
the remaining unknowns. This was done by DNA extraction using DNA mini kits with
procedures as given by manufacturer; PCR based fingerprinting, DNA sequencing and
phylogenetic analysis of the sequences respectively.
Results: The total bacteria characterized from all samples were nineteen (19). Thirteen
isolates were identified by the phenotypic methods e.g. six by differential and selective
media, and seven by biochemical API 20 E kit. The remaining six were characterized
genotypically despite the other technique failing to identify them.
Conclusion: Though the use of routine pharmacopoeia recommended techniques should be
encouraged, practitioner, manufacturers and quality control laboratory analysists should be
aware of more contaminants not included in the pharmacopoeia lists. The study further
shows that appropriate use of genotypic techniques can enhance the accurate and robust
esting of herbal products. Further use of the techniques should be explored in routine
microbial contamination analysis.