Abstract
Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the pharmaceutical and microbial qualities of 21 different (of various dosage forms) Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPs) sourced from some traditional medicine sales outlets and retail pharmacy outlets in south western Nigeria. Method: The pharmaceutical qualities evaluated include tablet crushing strength, friability, disintegration time; density of the solutions and suspensions; particle size and angle of repose of the powders. Phytochemical tests were carried out to assess the class of compounds present in the formulations and the microbial quality of the products was also evaluated. Results: The results show that twelve (57.1%) of the products had their manufacturing and expiry dates stated, nine (42.9%) products have been registered by NAFDAC and ten (47.6%) did not have their content stated but had their therapeutic claims indicated on the container. The tablet formulation (Product A) showed acceptable crushing strength and friability but failed the test for disintegration time. The angle of repose of the powder dosage forms were considerably high showing that the powders were highly cohesive and not free flowing. The microbial load of the products varied considerably. Ten (47.6%) of the samples were contaminated by E. coli, seven (33%) were contaminated by Salmonella, fifteen (71.4%) were contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus and twelve (57.1%) were contaminated by fungi. Conclusion: There is need for constant monitoring and control of the standards of herbal medicines available in the Nigerian market. Keywords: Herbal medicinal products, microbial quality, pharmaceutical quality. > Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 6 (1) 2007: pp. 661-670
Highlights
Herbal medicine, a form of complimentary and alternative medicine, is becoming increasingly popular in both developing and developed countries[1]
This may not be unconnected to the active mass media advertisement embarked upon by the producers and marketers of the herbal medicinal products (HMPs) who have taken the advantage of the relatively high cost of the conventional pharmaceutical dosage forms, inaccessibility of the orthodox medical services to a vast majority of people in the rural areas and the reservations by the public due to the prevalence of fake, substandard or counterfeit drugs in the market
The herbal medicinal products selected for this study consisted of one (1) tablet, one (1) suspension, three (3) capsule, four (4) powders and twelve (12) liquid dosage forms
Summary
A form of complimentary and alternative medicine, is becoming increasingly popular in both developing and developed countries[1]. In Nigeria, there appears to be an overwhelming increase in the public awareness and usage of herbal medicinal products in the treatment and/or prevention of diseases This may not be unconnected to the active mass media advertisement embarked upon by the producers and marketers of the herbal medicinal products (HMPs) who have taken the advantage of the relatively high cost of the conventional pharmaceutical dosage forms, inaccessibility of the orthodox medical services to a vast majority of people in the rural areas and the reservations by the public due to the prevalence of fake, substandard or counterfeit drugs in the market. In Nigeria, the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is responsible for drug administration and control of the quality of medicinal products including HMPs generally available in the market
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