Comparative efficacy and efficiency profile of some commercially available antacids in the Nigerian pharmaceutical market.
Gbola Ola yiwola, Julius Soyinka, Bamigboye Taiwo, Joshua Awogbemi, Oluwatosin Adeyemi
1Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
3Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Corresponding author: Gbola Olayiwola,
Email: gbolayiw@oauife.edu.ng, Phone: (+234)-0803 711 5758
ABSTRACT
Background: Antacids are the substances most commonly used by the patients to obtain fast symptomatic relief from dyspepsia. They are weak bases which neutralize the gastric acid and raise the pH of the gastric contents. The potency of antacids depends on their acid neutralizing capacity (ANC). The ANC varies from one product to the other depending on their formulations.
Objectives: This study evaluated rate and extent of acid neutralization of some antacid formulations available in the Nigerian market.
Methods: Ten liquid formulations were sampled from pharmacies, stored according to manufacturer’s recommendations before analysis. All samples were coded by an independent researcher (blinding) and studied for their acid neutralizing capacity. Both acid neutralizing capacity and the neutralizing efficiency was studied for all sampled antacids using the British Pharmacopoeia 2013 method. Constituents were also noted for pharmacotherapy review. Analysis was carried out in triplicates and data analysed using analysis of variance.
Results: Six of the ten antacid preparations satisfied all the conditions stipulated for an efficient and efficacious antacid in the BP. The ANC among the liquid formulations was highest for ANCS 1g 27.51±0.05 and lowest for ANCS 1j 20.13± 0.17 antacid formulations. Two products failed the efficiency test while two others failed to neutralize the acid at both 10 and 20 minutes as recommended in the official reference.
Conclusion: Six of the antacids passed the official test for effectiveness and efficiency while the remaining four either failed one or both tests.
Key-words: Antacids; acid neutralizing capacity; titration; efficiency; efficacy.