Evaluating the Antibacterial Potential of Commercial Herbal Mixtures against Clinical Isolate of Salmonella typhi: An In-vitro Experimental Analysis

Background: Typhoid fever incidence has continuously increased, particularly in developing countries. As a result, there has been an influx of preference for herbal remedies to meet the growing demand. However, the increasing demand for these herbal preparations has created room for false claims.

Aim: This study investigated the in vitro activity of commercial herbal mixtures against a clinical isolate of S. typhi.

Study Design: The study employed an experimental design to evaluate the vitro activity of four commercial herbal mixtures against a clinical isolate of S. typhi.

Methods: Four herbal mixtures (IBA-ENTR5, DB-TYFO222, DY-PHB, and BIA-TABH) were screened for phytochemical and antimicrobial activity. Screening and identification of bioactive secondary metabolites were performed using standard procedures. The antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined using the agar well diffusion and dilution method.

Results: Based on photochemical screening, apart from the absence of glycosides in IBA-ENTR5, all other phytochemicals were present in the herbal mixtures. The highest activity per agar well diffusion was observed for IBA-ENTR5, followed by DB-TYFO222, DY-PHB, and BIA-TABH. The minimum inhibitory concentration values ranged from 150 to 250 mg/L, with IBA-ENTR5 and DY-PHB possessing 150 mg/L, DB-TYFO222 possessing 200 mg/L, and BIA-TABH possessing 250 mg/L. Compared with the positive control IAG-CPRO, only IBA-ENTR exhibited a higher inhibition zone.

Conclusion: This study revealed that herbal mixtures contain rich phytochemical constituents. The results also confirmed that the antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration of the herbal mixtures were concentration-dependent. That is, the herbal mixtures sampled provided good results when their concentrations were increased. In conclusion, herbal mixtures in open Ghanaian markets may provide good antimicrobial efficacy.