IN a new study, experts say that approximately all the paracetamol tablets in Nigeria are potentially underdosed, and the possibility of treatment failure has not received the same attention, possibly reflecting the perception that the practice is safe.
They stated that samples from the five brands of paracetamol tested are within the required limits, with some showing lower concentrations than the expected limit, which indicates an underdose.
The researchers analysed and compared the contents of the different brands of paracetamol in Nigeria using the British Pharmacopoeia standard as a reference.
According to them, the various samples of paracetamol analysed were below the recommended standard of the British Pharmacopoeia and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The five different brands of paracetamol, with their packets indicating a weight of 500mg, were purchased from some stores and analysed using the spectrophotometric method.
Based on the British Pharmacopoeia standards, concentrations of the active ingredient in each were calculated.
The result obtained was that the paracetamol concentrations in the five different samples of tablets were 358, 185, 320, 250 and 285mg, respectively, below 500mg, the recommended standards by the British Pharmacopoeia and the WHO.
In addition, the mass of the different paracetamol tablets varied between 185mg and 385mg and was indicated on their various packets.
They declared, “Considering the current demands for cost-effective therapy, a prescribing and underdosing habit that could lead to treatment failure is of potential concern. They can result in poor patient outcomes, contribute to polypharmacy and have a significant cost to the healthcare system.”
The 2023 study, entitled, ‘Comparative Analysis of Five Different Brands of Paracetamol Sold in Nigeria with the British Pharmacopoeia Standards,’ was published in the journal Communication in Physical Sciences.
Paracetamol is one of the most widely consumed and common analgesics in Nigeria because of its basic role in relieving pain. However, several concerns have been recorded about the ineffectiveness of the drug, which may be due to the presence of an insufficient concentration of the active ingredient.
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