Comparative Evaluation of Microbiological Quality of Triphala Churna Marketed In Yavatmal District of India

 

Bais Sanjay K.*, Chandewar Anil V. and Bakal R.L.

P. Wadhwani College of Pharmacy, Yavatmal-445001, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: sanjaybais@rediffmail.com

ABSTRACT:

In the present study herbal products marketed in Yavatmal District of India were determined for the presence of microbial. Microbial contents in herbal products were examined as suggested in as per W.H.O. The total of ten herbal products of various brands were selected randomly and tested for microbial contamination. Of which 3 samples did not conform to the W.H.O guidelines. The formulations are used daily by the patients suffering from constipation. The specific medias were used to determining the presence of Escherichia coli (4 samples), Staphylococcus aureus (3 samples), and P. aeruginosa (4 samples). The data indicated suggest that there is requirement of in process improvement to provide better quality for consumer health in order to be competitive in international markets.

 

 

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

Herbal medicines are plant derived materials and preparations with therapeutic or other human health benefits, which contain either raw or processed ingredients from one or more plants, inorganic materials or animal origin. Herbal medicine preparations are developed and created drugs by the modern pharmaceutical industry. Nowadays, they are manufactured and sold most widely on the pharmaceutical market for curing diseases and promoting public health in India.¹

 

Herbal drugs have been used since ancient times as remedies and treatment for a range of diseases. Western pharmaceutical drugs play a major role in modern medicine, but traditional medicine are used by approximately 60% of people in rural areas still make an important contribution in health care.²

 

In India, the unscientific methods of collection, storage, transportation and congenial climatic conditions make the raw materials of herbal drugs prone to fungal infestations. The raw materials are collected using unscientific methods and are commonly exposed to many microbial contaminants. The raw materials are often deteriorated by microorganisms before harvesting, and during handling and storage.³

 

The microbial quality of pharmaceuticals is influenced by the environment and quality of the raw materials used during formulation. Some infectious outbreaks have been associated with the use of heavily contaminated raw materials of natural origin

 

1.1 Sources of contaminations in herbal products.

The practices of most ethnic herbal medicine include the use crude or raw herbs that are collected from the wild or from cultivated fields and their prepared or ready-made (formulated mixture of herbal or other natural materials) products.

Toxic contaminants may come from:

• Environments and conditions that the medicinal plants are grown or collected

• The conditions under which they are dried and processed.

• The storage conditions and conditions during transport.

• The manufacturing processes when the ready-made medicinal products are produced.⁴

 

1.2 Triphala Churna Profile

Triphala is one of the well known powdered preparations of Indian system of medicine being used in Ayurveda since ancient time. This is well known phytomedicines is made in combination with Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica and Embilica officinalis in equal proportion as reported in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI).This formulation is prescribed in first line treatment of many ailments as Laxative, detoxifying agent and rejunevator in Ayurveda. Its anti-diabetics, anti-mutagenic, purgative and radioprotective activities have been reported. The individual herbs are reported to have several other health benefits. The Embilica officinalis is reported to possess anti inflammatory, antimutagenic, antioxidants, cytoprotective, gastro protective, and hypolipidemic activity. Similarly Terminalia possesses antibacterial, anticancer, anticaries, antimutagenic potential and inhibits local anaphylaxis. Terminalia belerica reported to possess the myocardial necrosis, reduce cholesterol induced atherosclerosis and act as hepatoprotective.⁵

 

Table No 1.WHO limits for microbial content

Microorganism	Finished product cfu
Escherichia coli	101/gm
Staphylococus.aureus	105/gm
Pseudomonas aeruginosa	103  /gm
Salmonella species.	nil

 

2.0 EXPERIMENTAL WORK:-

2.1 Sample collection:

The ten herbal formulation of Triphala churna marketed by various herbal manufacturers were collected from the retail medical stores of Yavatmal (Vidarbha region, India).

 

2.2 MATERIALS AND METHODS:

For solid samples i.e. tablets and powders, 1g quantities were disintegrated in 9 mL of sterile distilled water while for the liquid formulations,1ml quantities was dissolved/suspended in 9ml of sterile distilled water. Serial dilutions were made and viability assessed using the pour plate method. The plates were incubated at 37oC for 24h. The plate was placed on a colony counter and the number of colony forming units was taken. The microbial content was taken as the mean of duplicate determinations. The media utilized were Nutrient agar, Cetrimide Nutrient agar, Salt Nutrient agar, MacConkey agar⁶

 

2.3 Determination of Microbial content:

2.3.1 Determination of S. aureus:

10 mg of the sample was added into Tryptic soya broth and incubated at 37^oC for 24 hours. The sample was then streaked on Vogel- Johnson agar and incubated at 37^oC for 24 hours. A single colony on each plate was then resteaked on Mannitol salt agar and incubated at 37^oC for 24 hours. After the incubation, the colonial morphology was observed⁷

The results are expressed in Table No 2 and Fig. No 1

 

Fig No 1. P.aeroginosa content in marketed Triphala churnas

2.3.2 Determination of Escherichia coli:

Suspend 10 gm of the specimen in lactose broth or any other broth, which has no antibacterial effect to make 100ml (may adjust PH at 7). It is called pretreatment material Incubate 100ml of pretreatment material at 30-37°C for 2-5 hrs. Transfer amount of above homogenized pretreatment material containing 1gm or 1ml of the material being examined to 100ml of MacConkey broth and incubate at 43-45c for 18-24hrs Prepare subculture on a plate with MacConkey agar and incubate at 43-45c for 18-24hrs Growth of red generally non-mucoid colonies of Gram-negative rods, sometimes surrounded by.a reddish zone of precipitation, indicates the possible presence of E.coli.⁸ The results are expressed in Table No 2 and Fig. No 2

 

Fig No 2. Escherichia coli content in marketed Triphala churnas

 

2.3.4 Determination of P. aeruginosa

The diluted sample was streaked onto Cetrimide agar plate. After the incubation at 37^oC for 24 hours, the green colonies were tested for oxidase reaction and subcultured into Triple sugar iron medium. Growth of bacteria and the reaction results were observed.⁹

The results are expressed in Table No 2 and Fig. No 3

 

Fig No 3 . S. aureus content in marketed Triphala churnas

 

3.0 RESULTS:

Table No.2  Microbial content  in Marketed Trifala Churnas

Sr. No	Formulation code	Pseudomonas aeroginosa (103 cfu /gm)	Escherichia coli (10cfu/gm)	Staphylococcus aureus (105cfu/gm)
1	H1	6 x 102	-	9 x 104
2	H2	7 x 102	-	7 x 104
3	H3	5 x 102	-	5 x 104
4	H4	3 x 102	-	3 x 104
5	H5	11 x 102	2 X 10	12 x 104
6	H6	6 x 102	-	15 x 104
7	H7	12 x 102	3 x 10	8  x 104
8	H8	13 x 102	1 x 10	6.5 x 104
9	H9	16 x 102	2 x 10	13 x 104
10	H10	6 x 102	-	6 x 104

 

 

DISCUSSION:

The present study reports microbial contaminations in herbal products widely distributed over the country. It is found that the formulations code H5, H7, H8 and H9 were contaminated by Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Escherichia coli whereas the formulations having code no. H5, H6 and H9 were contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus more than the limit prescribed by WHO if such product is consumed by patient there is possibility of infection. Medicinal plants have been generally used for decades. Consumers can easily acquire pathogenic microorganisms by consuming contaminated products. The results from this study suggest that the production of herbal products is still in critical situation in terms of quality and safety. Very low product quality can be derived from many factors such as cultivation, harvest, manufacturing procedure, transportation, and storage. The good handling must be carried out starting from raw materials to finished products.

 

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Received on 14.06.2010          Modified on 01.07.2010

Accepted on 08.07.2010         © RJPT All right reserved