Applied Sciences Group, Pharmaceutical Division, Health Sciences Authority, Singapore.
Drug Saf. 2009;32(12):1141-6. doi: 10.2165/11316690-000000000-00000.
In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the use of herbs and supplements as an alternative to drugs used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, in order to enhance sexual performance. Over the years, adverse events associated with the consumption of natural health products for sexual enhancement and the treatment of erectile dysfunction have been reported.
The objective of this work was to assess the safety and quality of 175 sexual enhancement health products seized from makeshift stalls in red-light districts of Singapore.
Seven raids were conducted by the Health Sciences Authority, Singapore, in two red-light districts in February and March 2008. 175 sexual enhancement health products seized from makeshift stalls were extracted with methanol and screened for Western drug adulterants using high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The labels and claims of the products were also evaluated.
Of the 175 products evaluated, 134 (77%) were found to be adulterated with Western drugs or their analogues. Most of these 134 samples (123 [92%]) were found to be adulterated with sildenafil. The extent of adulteration of these illegal health products with Western drugs, including synthetic phosphodiesterase type 5 enzyme (PDE-5) inhibitors, and the risks of consuming such illegal sexual enhancement products are discussed in this study. Because of the scope of the raids, sildenafil was the most common adulterant found. In addition, some products were found to contain high contents of sildenafil (>100 mg) and high contents of the antidiabetic drug, glibenclamide (glyburide). The resultant severe hypoglycaemia has led to ten fatalities.
The presence of Western drug adulterants and their analogues in illegal sexual enhancement products seized from red-light districts in Singapore, and their often misleading labels and claims, put the health of consumers at risk. To safeguard public health, greater public awareness of the danger of consuming such illegal products and the lack of quality control of these illegal sexual enhancement health products is important.
近年来，人们越来越关注使用草药和补充剂作为治疗勃起功能障碍的药物替代品，以增强性表现。多年来，与性增强和勃起功能障碍治疗用天然保健品消费相关的不良事件已有报道。
本研究旨在评估从新加坡红灯区临时摊位缴获的 175 种性增强保健品的安全性和质量。
2008 年 2 月和 3 月，新加坡卫生科学局进行了 7 次突袭。从临时摊位缴获的 175 种性增强保健品用甲醇提取，并用高效液相色谱法和气相色谱-质谱法筛选西药掺杂物。还评估了产品的标签和声称。
在所评估的 175 种产品中，发现 134 种（77%）掺有西药或其类似物。这些 134 个样本中的大多数（123 个[92%]）被发现掺有西地那非。本研究讨论了这些非法保健品与西药（包括合成磷酸二酯酶 5 型（PDE-5）抑制剂）的掺假程度以及消费这些非法性增强产品的风险。由于突袭范围，西地那非是最常见的掺杂物。此外，一些产品被发现含有高含量的西地那非（>100mg）和高含量的抗糖尿病药物，格列本脲（glyburide）。由此导致的严重低血糖已导致 10 人死亡。
从新加坡红灯区缴获的非法性增强保健品中存在西药掺杂物及其类似物，以及其常常具有误导性的标签和声称，使消费者的健康面临风险。为了维护公众健康，提高公众对消费此类非法产品的危险的认识，以及缺乏对这些非法性增强保健品的质量控制是非常重要的。
