Herbal medicine use in Uganda and the world at large is at its peak because of the documented efficacy, effectiveness, cheap cost and less side effects. The estimates of herbal medicine users in the world is 80% and 60% in Uganda, yet with all this demand, less effort has been put to ensure that they are free from bacterial contamination.
The study therefore aimed at determining Staphylococcus aureus contamination of selected liquid herbal medicines sold in Kampala, Uganda with the following specific objectives; to provide an update on the different local herbal medicines sold in Kampala, Uganda and the conditions they treat; to determine Staphylococcus aureus contamination levels of selected liquid local herbal medicines sold in Kampala, Uganda; and to establish the antibacterial susceptibility patterns of isolated Staphylococcus aureus.
A questionnaire was used to collect data on the different local herbal medicines sold in Kampala, Uganda. To determine levels of Staphylococcus aureus contamination, microbial culture was performed on 30 selected liquid herbal medicine samples. In addition Staphylococcus aureus susceptibility patterns were determined by subjecting isolated Staphylococcus aureus species to gentamicin 10μg, chloramphenicol 30 30μg ampicillin 10μg, penicillin 10U and tetracycline 30μg. A total of one hundred and seventy local herbal medicines were identified and classified into twenty five categories basing on conditions they treat.
I therefore recommend that herbal medicines should be tested for bacterial quality by regulatory bodies before being sold to patients to avoid Staphylococcus aureus infection hence avoiding treatment costs. In addition, herbal medicine practitioners should embark on good manufacturing practices to avoid contamination of herbal medicines.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.2 Problem statement
1.3 Justification
1.4 Study objectives
1.4.1 General objective
1.4.2 Specific objectives
1.5 Research questions
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Herbal medicine
2.1.1 Classification of herbal medicine
2.1.2 Uses of herbal medicine.
2.2 Bacterial quality of herbal medicines
2.2.1 Public health complications of contaminated herbal medicine
2.3 Biology of Staphylococcus aureus.
2.3.1 Transmission of Staphylococcal infections.
2.3.2 Diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus
2.4 Antibacterial resistance.
2.4.1 Antibacterial resistance mechanisms of Staphylococcus aureus
CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1 Study area.
3.2 Study design.
3.3 Data collection.
3.3.1 Qualitative data collection.
3.3.2 Quantitative data collection.
3.4 Sample size.
3.5 Sampling strategy
3.6 Sample selection criteria.
3.6.1 Inclusion criteria.
3.6.2 Exclusion criteria.
3.7 Staphylococcus aureus culture.
3.7.1 Labelling test tubes and culture plates in the laboratory
3.7.2 Processing of samples.
3.7.3 Preparation of media.
3.7.4 Culture of samples.
3.7.5 Plate reading bacterial identification and colony plate count.
3.8 Antibacterial susceptibility testing.
3.9 Quality control and quality assurance.
3.10 Data analysis
3.11 Study limitation and mitigation.
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS.
4.1 Local herbal medicines sold in Kampala, Uganda.
4.2 Level of contamination of herbal medicine with Staphylococcus aureus
4.2.1 Growth patterns of Staphylococcus aureus
4.2.2 Colony forming units of Staphylococcus aureus
4.3: Antibacterial susceptibility patterns of Staphylococcus aureus
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
5.1 Local herbal medicines sold in Kampala, Uganda.
5.2 Level of contamination of herbal medicine with Staphylococcus aureus
5.3 Antibacterial susceptibility patterns of Staphylococcus aureus
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
6.1 Conclusion
6.2 Recommendation
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this study is to determine the contamination levels of Staphylococcus aureus in selected liquid herbal medicines sold in Kampala, Uganda, and to assess the antibacterial susceptibility patterns of these isolates to provide necessary safety data for public health.
- Identification of various local herbal medicines and their claimed therapeutic indications.
- Assessment of microbial quality regarding Staphylococcus aureus contamination in liquid herbal products.
- Evaluation of the antibacterial susceptibility profiles of isolated Staphylococcus aureus strains.
- Analysis of the manufacturing and storage practices influencing the microbial safety of herbal preparations.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Background
The use of herbal medicine has gained popularity because of its efficacy and safety (Aschwanden, 2001). According to world health organisation (WHO) statistics, 80% of the world’s population relies on herbal medicine for primary health care (Lutoti et al., 2013; Noor et al., 2014). Global sales of herbal medicine have been estimated to be US dollars $60billion in 2000, and in 2008, the worldwide market for herbal products was estimated to be Us dollar $83 billion. As years pass on, there has been a steady growth rate of herbal medicine use ranging from 3-12% per year globally (Zhang et al., 2012). Ministry of health in Uganda Statistics indicate that about 60% of the Ugandan population seeks medical care from herbal medicine practitioners (Lutoti et al., 2013).
Herbal medicine has gained popularity because; it is considered to be safer (more natural) than pharmaceuticals (Calixto, 2000; Aschwanden, 2001; Ola et al., 2013; Noor et al., 2014) hence harmless to the human population (Kosalec et al., 2009). In addition, synthetic medicine is costly compared to traditional medicine (Lutoti et al., 2013; Noor et al., 2014). For example, studies show that 70% of the world’s population are too poor to buy modern cancer medicine and therefore resort to cheap herbal cancer medicines (Wislow et al., 1998). Besides, beliefs of society that everything that was put on earth has to be used and is therefore safe have promoted herbal medicine use (Kosalec et al., 2009; Ndhlala et al., 2012).
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: This chapter establishes the widespread use of herbal medicine in Uganda and highlights the urgent need to assess its microbial safety due to potential health risks.
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter examines existing global knowledge regarding herbal medicine usage, bacterial quality, the biological characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus, and mechanisms of antibacterial resistance.
CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS: This chapter details the study design, sampling strategies, and specific laboratory procedures used for culturing and testing the susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus.
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS: This chapter presents the data collected regarding the types of herbal medicines identified and the findings from the microbial culture and susceptibility tests.
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS: This chapter analyzes the results in the context of existing literature, discussing why certain herbal medicines are popular and explaining the implications of finding Staphylococcus aureus contamination.
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: This chapter provides the final assessment of the study and suggests policy interventions and manufacturing improvements for the herbal medicine industry.
Keywords
Staphylococcus aureus, herbal medicine, microbial contamination, antibacterial susceptibility, Kampala, Uganda, public health, primary health care, antibiotic resistance, liquid herbal medicine, manufacturing practices, health risk, bacterial safety, traditional medicine, pathogen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research project?
The research focuses on determining the levels of Staphylococcus aureus contamination in various liquid herbal medicines sold in Kampala, Uganda, and evaluating the resistance patterns of these bacteria to common antibiotics.
What are the central themes discussed in this study?
The study centers on the popularity of herbal medicine as a primary healthcare alternative, the lack of rigorous microbial safety regulation, and the public health implications of using contaminated products.
What is the primary goal of the study?
The goal is to provide empirical data on the microbial safety of liquid herbal medicines, specifically identifying Staphylococcus aureus and its susceptibility, to advocate for better regulatory oversight.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The study utilized a cross-sectional approach involving qualitative data collection via questionnaires and quantitative laboratory analysis, including microbial culture and Kirby-Bauer disc susceptibility testing.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers the theoretical background of herbal medicine, a detailed description of laboratory materials and methods, the presentation of results regarding contamination levels, and a discussion on the implications of these findings.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Staphylococcus aureus, herbal medicine contamination, antibacterial susceptibility, and Ugandan public health, reflecting the intersection of traditional medicine and laboratory microbiology.
Why is Staphylococcus aureus a specific concern in herbal products?
It is a versatile human pathogen and a leading cause of various infections ranging from skin issues to serious systemic illnesses like bacteraemia; its presence in products intended for healing poses a significant health risk.
What was the key finding regarding antibiotic susceptibility?
The isolated Staphylococcus aureus strains showed high susceptibility to gentamicin and ampicillin but demonstrated complete resistance to penicillin, which is a critical finding for potential treatment pathways.
- Quote paper
- Derick Niyonshima (Author), 2016, "Staphylococcus aureus" contamination levels in selected local herbal medicines sold in Kampala, Uganda, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/427756