Quality evaluation of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) products marketed in Abuja, Nigeria

Medicine security remains one of the public health challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa as the report by World Health Organization (WHO) shows that 10.5% of medicines in low and middle-income countries worldwide are falsified or substandard. The study aimed to evaluate the quality of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) products sold in pharmacy outlets in Abuja, Nigeria. Seventeen different commercial brands of WHO recommended low-osmolarity ORS finished pharmaceutical products (FPP) were randomly selected from pharmacy outlets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Gwagwalada Area Council in Abuja. They were assessed for quality based on physicochemical properties and the content of active pharmaceutical ingredients in accordance with the International Pharmacopeia (IP) guidelines. The shelf lives of all the samples were valid, and they all met the visual inspection test, labelling, pH (7.4‒8.0 between23.3‒23.9°C) and moisture content (1‒9 mg/g) requirements. The content assay revealed 88.2%, 88.2%, 64.7%, 47.1%, and 35.3% compliance of the samples for glucose, chloride, citrate, sodium and potassium, respectively. Twelve (76.5%) of the brands failed at least one content assay and 8 (47%) had zero potassium content. The study underscores the need for regular, periodic post-market surveillance on essential medicines sold in the Nigerian market

Physicochemical properties of teas sold in Abuja, Nigeria, and evaluation of their caffeine content using HPLC

Tea is commonly consumed in Nigeria. Caffeine, a major constituent in tea, has some beneficial pharmacological properties, but can negatively affect human health if consumed excessively. The objective of the study was to evaluate some physicochemical properties and caffeine content of teas marketed in FCT, Abuja, Nigeria. Ten commercial brands of teas (8 black teas and 2 green teas) were assessed for weight variation, moisture content and pH tests using standard methods. Extraction of caffeine was carried out and the identity determined by thin layer chromatography and melting points, respectively. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for analysis of caffeine was developed, validated, and applied to determine caffeine content in the tea brands. Results of the weight, moisture content and pH tests of the samples ranged from 2.07–2.33 g, 5.65–11.0 % and 4.9–5.5, respectively. Caffeine was isolated from all the samples and showed same Rf value (0.46) with that of the reference standard. Melting points ranged from 236.0–238.5 °C. Caffeine content ranged from 12.25–21.76 mg/g for black teas and 13.35–15.05 mg/g for green teas. The study provides information on the stability, acidity and caffeine content in some commercially available tea brands

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the seed oil of Entandrophragma angolense (Welw) C.DC

The seed of Entandrophragma angolense yielded 59% oil (w/w) on extraction with n-hexane. Methylation and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the methylated seed oil of E. angolense gave 11-octadecanoic acid methyl ester as major component (43.2%). Other fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) detected were hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, ricinoleic acid methyl ester, stearic acid methyl ester and eicosadienoic acid methyl ester. Preliminary antimicrobial evaluation of this seed oil showed activity against Salmonella gallinallum and Klebseilla pneumonia

Chemical constituents and antimycobacterial studies of the leaf extracts of Pavetta crassipes K. Schum

Six known compounds; β-sitosterol, ursolic acid, methyl chlorogenate, ethyl chlorogenate, rutin and mannitol were isolated from the leaf extracts of Pavetta crassipes (Rubiaceae), a Nigerian medicinal plant used in the indigenous treatment of tuberculosis. Separation and isolation of the compounds were achieved by chromatographic techniques and the structures of isolated compounds were established by spectroscopic and chemical methods. The isolated compounds were screened for antimycobacterial activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv employing the green fluorescence protein reporter microplate assay and the broth microdilution method. Ursolic acid, methyl chlorogenate and ethyl chlorogenate were found moderately active in the broth microdilution assay with MICs of 200, 100 and 50 µg/ml, respectively while methyl chlorogenate and ethyl chlorogenate were active in the protein reporter microplate assay with MICs of 200 and 100 µg ml-1, respectively. The presence of antimycobacterial terpenoids and quinate esters in leaves of Pavetta crassipes provides scientific evidence for the ethnomedicinal use of the plant as a traditional anti-tuberculosis remedy