ABSTRACT

Fifty samples often different brands of cough syrups were amazed for microbial quality during storage at ambient temperature (28±2°C) and refrigeration temperature (4±2°C). Physicochemical studies were also conducted to ascertain the stability of their active ingredients. The result revealed the microbial count of 9.0x104to 2.0x10 clu/mi bacteria at ambient temperature and 6.4x104 to 1.5x105cfu/ml bacteria at refrigeration temperature; 2.2x to 5.6x104 cfu/nil fungi at ambient temperature and 4.0x103to 2.4x10' cfti/ml fungi at refrigeration temperature. The organisms isolated were Staphylococcus aureus (1 00%),spp (80%), Bacillus sub//us (90%), Azo/ohacter spp (1 0%), Proteus spp (20%), Jactohacil/us spp (40%), Pseudornoiias aeruginosa (20%), A.spergillus funuigatus (1 OO°/o), Axpergilhis niger (1 00%), Aspegilius flavus (1 00%), Eusariurn solani (50%) and J'enicilliwn spp (40%). Variations were observed in the concentration of the active ingredients. Storage temperature did not significantly (pO.O5) influence the pH value of the products. The antibiotic susceptibility of isolates showed that £ aureus was sensitive to gentamycin (100%) and resistant to cloxacillin (100%), ampicillin (100%), and penicillin (100%). Proteus spp was sensitive to gentamycin (100%) but resistant to colistin (100%), nitrofiirantoin (100%), cotrimoxazole (100%), tetracyc inc (1 00%), and ampi ci Iii n (100%). P. aeruginosa was resistant to all antibiotics tested. The study revealed that cough syrups may loose their therapeutic activity prior to the end of their shf life due to microbial contamination as well as reduction in the concentration of their active ingredients. The level of antibiotic resistance of bacterial isolates in cough syrup is a problem to public health The cough syrups evaluated did not generally meet the standards for microbial limit as specified in official monographs. These products can adversely affect health status of consumers, hence, the need for regular quality control and assurance.