The Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia has called for the standardisation of herbal medicines in Nigeria, noting that such would enhance medicine security.
Making the call in Ilorin, Kwara State during a conference organised as part of its 21st annual national scientific conference, the National President, Dr. Ezekiel Akinwunmi, the only way to effectively achieve such a goal is for everyone to appreciate the need to work as a team.
“This unity of purpose is not limited to the pharmacy profession; all healthcare professionals have to speak with one voice,’’ he added.
The Secretary-General, West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacy, Professor Ibrahim Ore-Agba, observed that herbal use in Nigeria lacked standardisation.
He noted that hawkers of herbal medicines have little or no knowledge about what they hawk, adding that standardisation would help to develop and agree upon technical standards.
He explained that standardisation arrived at after experimentation and observations would enhance prescriptions about dosages of herbal medicines.
“Medicines need to be taken in their right doses. The composition of some of the herbal medicines in circulation could be toxic.
“Some producers mix herbs with alcohol or combine them with orthodox drugs. Others contaminate the herbs with heavy metals, while some conduct the business in unhygienic environment,’’ he said.
On her part, Dr. Awodayo Adepiti from the Department of Pharmacognosy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, maintained that there must be knowledge about safety, dosage, and method of preparation of herbal medicines to avoid danger. (NAN)
Image Source: AFP
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