+44-7360-538437- Biomedical Research (2014) Volume 25, Issue 4
Microbial contaminants in the herbal preparation from green pawpaw fruits.
This study is designed to investigate the presence of diverse micro-organisms in the herbal preparations made from green, unripe mature pawpaw fruits for the treatment of stomach ulcer. Samples of pawpaw fruits were collected from a pawpaw plantation in Ibadan, Nigeria, and used within one hour of being harvested. Pour plate method was employed for the microbiological and biomedical charaterisation of isolates. The results confirmed the presence of yeast and pathogenic organisms including bacteria and fungi. Among them are Alcalogenes faecalis, M. kristianae, B. polymyxa, M. varians, Corynebacterium spp. as well as A. iwoffi; which is the most pathogenic bacteria among the isolates, as the organism is known to cause food spoilage and lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in humans. This herbal preparation poses a potential hazard to human health if not consumed fresh. A suitable means of preservation such as cold storage is therefore required if the preparation is to be stored. In the alternative, the use of fresh preparations on a daily basis is highly recommended.
Author(s): Amosu AM, Degun AM and Esan EB