Phenotypic characterization of pathogenic bacteria isolated from herbal mixtures (agbo) samples collected in Ibadan, Nigeria

Herbal mixtures called agbo are usually prepared by mixing different plant parts in water and/or alcohol. It is usually prepared by local women who have no education and knowledge of quality control measures. Therefore, the samples of agbo retailed by these women are commonly contaminated by spoilage and pathogenic organisms. The aim of the current study is to characterize microorganisms isolated from samples of agbo collected from different markets. The microbial load obtained for different samples of agbo ranged between 0 to 1.67x106 cfu/ml. The microorganisms isolated from the samples of agbo are E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonads among others. Majority of the microbes isolated from agbo were resistant to antibiotic tested. Therefore, it could be concluded from this study that samples of agbo retailed in Ibadan are heavily contaminated by spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Consumers are therefore advised to desist from taking agbo samples retailed in Ibadan.