Contamination of pathogenic microbials and heavy metals in Thai traditional medicines produced in five Amphurs of Khon Kaen Province (Thai)

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the contamination of pathogenic microbials and heavy metals in Thai traditional medicines produced in Khon Kaen Province. From 68 studied samples, dosages were in the forms of liquid (70.6%), pill (14.7%), capsule (10.3%) and powder (4.4%). The total aerobic microbial counts (TAMC) of all samples were <10-146,000 cfu/g or cfu/ml. Seven liquid samples (10.3%) showed TAMC at more than 100,000 cfu/ml, whereas the other samples had TAMC at lower levels than the allowable limit except for one powder sample. However its TAMC is still less than the limit of 500,000 cfu/g. It was found that 5 liquid samples (7.4%) were contaminated with pathogenic microbials, which were 2 samples with Salmonella sp., 2 samples with Clostridium sp. and 1 sample with Escherenchia coli. There were no studied samples contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus. Thirteen samples (19.1%) were contaminated with lead at higher than the allowable limit (10 ppm). The majority of capsules (85.7%) (6 in 7 samples) and pills (70%) (7 in 10 samples) were contaminated with lead at a level higher than 10 ppm. The amounts of arsenic and cadmium in all samples were 0-0.097 and 0-0.017 ppm, respectively, which were lower than the allowable limit.