Coco Samba, a herbal mixture, has been found to contain excessive amounts of sildenafil, a medication used to enhance sexual stimulation.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) shared on Friday that 100 ml of the mixture contains more than the approved dose of sildenafil.
It further stated that the deadly sildenafil proportion in the product was discovered after it landed in Germany.
“The product was seized by German customs and analysed by the German Official Medicines Control Laboratory (OMCL). The analysis report showed the product contained undeclared amounts of sildenafil (150mg), which is above the maximum daily dose for sildenafil,” the regulatory agency’s statement read in part.
“Laboratory analysis conducted by the agency also confirmed the presence of undeclared sildenafil content.
“Sildenafil is a medicine prescribed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and may cause a significant drop in blood pressure that may be life-threatening.
“People with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates. The adult male population who are most likely to use this product with nitrates (in prescription drugs for cardiac conditions) is most at risk.”
The agency stated that it issued the notice because a large chunk of the product was in circulation.
Meanwhile, FIJ reported on Wednesday how NAFDAC placed a ban on the manufacturing, distribution and sale of alcohol in sachets, PET bottles and glass bottles from 200 ml and below.
FIJ later found that, despite this ban, products with these packagings were still selling freely in Lagos.
