Evaluation of packaging, labels, and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the Ghanaian market
Introduction: Malaria is a parasitic disease that is endemic in tropical areas and can be life-threatening. There has been a decrease in the prevalence of malaria in Ghana but the burden of the disease is still high in the country. Many Ghanaians depend on herbal products for malaria treatment. This...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024030639 |
| _version_ | 1797259754848911360 |
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| author | Hilda Amekyeh Doris Kumadoh Donatus Wewura Adongo Emmanuel Orman Sadique Abubakar Audrey Dwamena Mike Okweesi Aggrey |
| author_facet | Hilda Amekyeh Doris Kumadoh Donatus Wewura Adongo Emmanuel Orman Sadique Abubakar Audrey Dwamena Mike Okweesi Aggrey |
| author_sort | Hilda Amekyeh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Malaria is a parasitic disease that is endemic in tropical areas and can be life-threatening. There has been a decrease in the prevalence of malaria in Ghana but the burden of the disease is still high in the country. Many Ghanaians depend on herbal products for malaria treatment. This study aimed to survey and evaluate commercial herbal antimalarials in the Volta Region of Ghana. Methods: A survey of finished herbal antimalarials was done at herbal shops, pharmacies, and over-the-counter medicine seller shops. Products available on shelves were purchased and their details were recorded, after which they were examined using a visual inspection tool. The density, pH, and extract weight per dose of each sample were also determined. Results: Thirty-four liquid formulations (A-1–34) containing 1–9 different herbs were found. The majority of the product labels had errors in consumer age classifications. Unconventional ways of stating doses were found on two products (A-13, “tot”; A-19, cupful). Six products did not have dosing devices. No duration of treatment was indicated on 24 products. Dose errors were found on A-14 and A-22. Samples A-17 and A-28 did not have registration or batch numbers. Product A-28 did not have its herbs listed on it and was indicated for persons aged 3–8 years at a dose of 45 mL. The relative density range for the products was 0.997–1.015. From the pH investigation, no product was extremely erosive; however, 10 samples were deemed erosive (pH, 3.0–3.99), whereas 24 were minimally erosive (pH, ≥4.0). The extract weight per dose volume (20–90 mL) was 0.048–1.766 g, indicating that unit dose capsules or tablets could be formulated from the products. Conclusion: The findings clearly show that Ghanaian authorities responsible for regulating herbal products must enforce guidelines for the formulation, label details, and sale of antimalarial products. Additionally, the unpleasant taste of liquid herbal mixtures can affect patient compliance and dosing convenience; therefore, it is recommended that oral solid dosage forms of herbal antimalarials are produced as alternatives to the liquid mixtures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:52:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-039f8ffaf0e943debfd2361987a6e8a0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T23:14:28Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-039f8ffaf0e943debfd2361987a6e8a02024-03-17T07:57:08ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-03-01105e27032Evaluation of packaging, labels, and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the Ghanaian marketHilda Amekyeh0Doris Kumadoh1Donatus Wewura Adongo2Emmanuel Orman3Sadique Abubakar4Audrey Dwamena5Mike Okweesi Aggrey6Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Pharmaceutics, Centre for Plant Medicine Research, Mampong-Akuapem, Ghana; Department of Production, Centre for Plant Medicine Research, Mampong-Akuapem, GhanaDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Ghana; Corresponding author.Introduction: Malaria is a parasitic disease that is endemic in tropical areas and can be life-threatening. There has been a decrease in the prevalence of malaria in Ghana but the burden of the disease is still high in the country. Many Ghanaians depend on herbal products for malaria treatment. This study aimed to survey and evaluate commercial herbal antimalarials in the Volta Region of Ghana. Methods: A survey of finished herbal antimalarials was done at herbal shops, pharmacies, and over-the-counter medicine seller shops. Products available on shelves were purchased and their details were recorded, after which they were examined using a visual inspection tool. The density, pH, and extract weight per dose of each sample were also determined. Results: Thirty-four liquid formulations (A-1–34) containing 1–9 different herbs were found. The majority of the product labels had errors in consumer age classifications. Unconventional ways of stating doses were found on two products (A-13, “tot”; A-19, cupful). Six products did not have dosing devices. No duration of treatment was indicated on 24 products. Dose errors were found on A-14 and A-22. Samples A-17 and A-28 did not have registration or batch numbers. Product A-28 did not have its herbs listed on it and was indicated for persons aged 3–8 years at a dose of 45 mL. The relative density range for the products was 0.997–1.015. From the pH investigation, no product was extremely erosive; however, 10 samples were deemed erosive (pH, 3.0–3.99), whereas 24 were minimally erosive (pH, ≥4.0). The extract weight per dose volume (20–90 mL) was 0.048–1.766 g, indicating that unit dose capsules or tablets could be formulated from the products. Conclusion: The findings clearly show that Ghanaian authorities responsible for regulating herbal products must enforce guidelines for the formulation, label details, and sale of antimalarial products. Additionally, the unpleasant taste of liquid herbal mixtures can affect patient compliance and dosing convenience; therefore, it is recommended that oral solid dosage forms of herbal antimalarials are produced as alternatives to the liquid mixtures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024030639AntimalarialDosage formHerbal medicine labelpHRegulation |
| spellingShingle | Hilda Amekyeh Doris Kumadoh Donatus Wewura Adongo Emmanuel Orman Sadique Abubakar Audrey Dwamena Mike Okweesi Aggrey Evaluation of packaging, labels, and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the Ghanaian market Heliyon Antimalarial Dosage form Herbal medicine label pH Regulation |
| title | Evaluation of packaging, labels, and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the Ghanaian market |
| title_full | Evaluation of packaging, labels, and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the Ghanaian market |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of packaging, labels, and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the Ghanaian market |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of packaging, labels, and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the Ghanaian market |
| title_short | Evaluation of packaging, labels, and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the Ghanaian market |
| title_sort | evaluation of packaging labels and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the ghanaian market |
| topic | Antimalarial Dosage form Herbal medicine label pH Regulation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024030639 |
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