EVALUATION OF MICROBACTERIAL ON LOCALLY MADE HERBS SOLD IN ENUGU STATE.
1.1 Background to the Study
Throughout history, all cultures have employed a variety of plants or plant derived materials for the prevention and treatment of diseases (H.B. et al., 1983; O.,1987). In developing countries as much as 80% of the indigenous populations depend on traditional systems of medicine and medicinal plants and their primary source of health care (R.B. et al,1983; WHO, 2001). The world Health Organization (WHO) defines traditional medicine (TM) as the total combination of knowledge and practices whether explicable or not used in diagnosing, preventing or eliminating physical, mental or social diseases, which may rely exclusively on past experience and observation handed down from generation to generation verbally or otherwise (WHO, 2001). This strategy promotes the integration into health systems of traditional medicine for which evidence on safety, efficiency and quality is available and the generation of such evidence when it is lacking.
The Alma- At a declaration of 1978, the relevant recommendations of WHO governing bodies and the orientations of the Regional Health for all policy for the 21st Century underscored the importance of traditional medicine and its practitioners in primary health care. Despite these policies, only a few countries have developed national policies, legal frame works and codes of conduct for the practice of traditional medicine.
Herbal therapy is widely accepted and is used as an alternative in the prevention and treatment of physical mental disorders as well as infectious diseases and anti social behaviours attributable to spiritual causes. Due to its intrinsic qualities, unique and holistic approaches as well as its accessibility and affordability, it continues to be the best alternative health care available for the majority of the global population, particularly for those in the rural areas of developing countries (Mwambazi and W.C. 1996). Among the successes achieved by herbal medicine is thatany drugs in clinical use today were discovered from the ways plants were used in traditional communities. Examples include quinine which was discovered from the way traditional communities in South America especially Peru, Columbia and Bolivia used plants species of the genus Cinchona in managing fevers. Thus emphasis is now being laid on traditional medicine as an alternative to Orthodox medicine more than ever before. This especially true in developing countries like Nigeria.
1.2 Problem Statement
A previous study conducted found liquid and powdered herbal medicines prepared locally by herbalists to have high levels of bacterial contamination (M.Justin et al.,1998). The large number of isolated micro organisms from the samples could pose a risk of acquisition of pathogenic microbial agents to those taking these herbal mixtures. This observation prompts the need to know the effect microbiological on locallyade herbs sold in Enugu state.
