Orisakwe Orish Ebere, Nduka John Kanayochukwu
Toxicology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.
Sci Total Environ. 2009 Nov 15;407(23):5993-6. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.08.033. Epub 2009 Sep 17.
Fifty different pediatric syrups were randomly sampled from patent medicine stores and pharmaceutical shops within Awka, in Anambra State between November 2007 and May 2008. Syrups were ashed before digestion using conc. aqua regia, HCl:HNO(3) (3:1) and lead and cadmium were assayed with AAS 205A. Results revealed that 60 and 98% of the sample size had lead and cadmium respectively. The lead levels ranged from 0.01 in chloroquine to 1.08 mg/l in magcid suspension. The highest level of cadmium was seen in magcid suspension with concentration of 2.45 mg/l while lowest concentration of 0.01 in emzolyn and colipan. About 41.2% of the locally made syrup had none detectable levels of lead while all the syrup had detectable levels of cadmium. Lead levels ranged from 0.01 mg/l in cadiphen manufactured in Dholka, India to 0.09 in maxiquine made in England. About 68.8% of the imported syrups of the imported syrups had non detectable levels of lead. Chloramphenicol and zentel albendazole syrups had 0.60 and 0.88 mg/l of cadmium respectively. Bellis cough syrup showed the lowest level (0.01 mg/l) of cadmium. Only erythromycin suspension representing 6.3% had non detectable level of cadmium of the imported syrups. Due to the Cd and Pb levels found, we suggest that the behaviour scenario (here, self administration without medical assistance) should be properly taken under control. Along with this, contamination sources or vulnerable practices during syrups preparation should be also assessed in a tiered approach, towards the minimization of noxious presence in syrups and the promotion of quality of Nigerian-made products.
2007年11月至2008年5月期间，从阿南布拉州奥卡市内的药店和药房中随机抽取了50种不同的儿科糖浆。在消化前，糖浆用浓王水（盐酸：硝酸，3:1）进行灰化处理，然后用原子吸收光谱仪205A测定铅和镉的含量。结果显示，分别有60%和98%的样本含有铅和镉。铅含量范围从氯喹中的0.01毫克/升至镁西混悬液中的1.08毫克/升。镉含量最高的是镁西混悬液，浓度为2.45毫克/升，而恩佐林和可立安中镉的最低浓度为0.01毫克/升。约41.2%的国产糖浆铅含量未检出，而所有糖浆镉含量均能检出。铅含量范围从印度多尔卡生产的卡迪芬中的0.01毫克/升至英国生产的马西奎宁中的0.09毫克/升。约68.8%的进口糖浆铅含量未检出。氯霉素糖浆和肠虫清阿苯达唑糖浆镉含量分别为0.60毫克/升和0.88毫克/升。贝利斯止咳糖浆镉含量最低（0.01毫克/升）。进口糖浆中只有占6.3%的红霉素混悬液镉含量未检出。鉴于所发现的镉和铅含量，我们建议应妥善控制（此处指无医疗协助下的自行用药）这种行为情况。与此同时，还应以分层方式评估糖浆制备过程中的污染源或易出现问题的操作，以尽量减少糖浆中的有害物质，并提高尼日利亚国产产品的质量。
