NAFDAC cautions Nigerians on herbal, alcoholic bitters

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has cautioned Nigerians against use of herbal aphrodisiac and alcoholic bitters.

NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said consuming alcoholic bitters, herbal aphrodisiac, and other relevant products have led to the death of many Nigerians.

Adeyeye, who expressed worry over the rising intake of the substances for sexual satisfaction, disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja on Friday while displaying some of the confiscated products.

She warned that most of the herbal aphrodisiac were not registered and are succeptible to misuse by the manufacturers in terms of quantity and dosage, or contains ingredients/substances that were harmful to the body.

The NAFDAC DG raised the alarm that some of the products could lead to death in minutes after use, cause irrational thinking, alter the mood of user’swhich could lead to road accidents or criminal activities.

According to her, the agency has cracked down on illegal manufacturers and distributors of at least 15 herbal preparations including ‘Kurkura’ are harmful to the brain, kidney, and liver.

She said: “Recently the Agency received series of report on the use of herbal preparation, popularly known as ‘Kurkura’, particularly in the South-West and Northern regions of the country, and thereafter swung into action, carried out intelligence and enforcement action.

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“Findings from various operations carried out revealed a dangerous trend in the use of such substances laced with high concentration of tobacco and sometimes cannabis by our populace cutting across all genders and age groups particularly artisans, drivers, Okada riders etc.

“The ‘Kurkura’ herbal preparations discovered in circulations included; Five Minutes Power Herbs Medicine, Haonu Laha Herbal Mixture, Gamzaki Tradomedical Herbal Ventures, Barakallahu Multipurpose Herbal Mixture, Sabon Karfi Herbal Mixture.”

Adeyeye noted that some herbal aphrodisiac at some Islamic herbal medicine store were equally recovered.

She said: “Similarly, in our recent operation, we impounded dangerous herbal aphrodisiac at some Islamic herbal medicines shops in Zaria, Kaduna State, notably, Gagare Man Power, Minister For Man Power, Almenjou For Lazy Men in Bed, among several others.

“We discovered the usage of Hyergra 200 (Sildenafil Citrate tablet), Amafranil tablets (Clomipramine tablet 25mg) and Cannon Extra (Paracetamol 500mg+Caffeine 30mg) in the production room, and the owner admitted that he dissolves the Hyergra 200, Cannon Extra and the Amafranil in a drum and mixes the content with boiled Kanafari, Garlic, Dundu, Marke, Hankufa, sweetner and Sodium Benzoate to make up the Man Power preparation. Yet the label on the preparation read 100 per cent Herbal.

“The effect of such preparation on person with heart challenges can only be imagined. The makers of these products were arrested and later granted bail while the investigation is ongoing.”

The NAFDAC boss added that ‘Japata Alcoholic bitters’ which was registered by NAFDAC but found to be laced with high concentration of dangerous tobacco, marijuana and cannabis which led to the death of mice in five minutes was also seized.

The Star