Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 May 22;7(5):e07099.
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07099. eCollection 2021 May.

Emergency medicine: magnesium sulphate injections and their pharmaceutical quality concerns

Angus Nnamdi Oli  1 , Ezinne Janefrances Nwankwo  1 , Chukwuebuka Emmanuel Umeyor  2 , Ugochukwu Stanley Umeh  3 , Jude Nnaemeka Okoyeh  4 , Chijioke M Ofomata  5 , Chukwuemeka Chukwubuikem Okoro  6 , Emmanuel Chinedum Otakagu  2 , Ruth Asikiya Afunwa  7 , Gordon C Ibeanu  8
Affiliations

Emergency medicine: magnesium sulphate injections and their pharmaceutical quality concerns

Angus Nnamdi Oli et al. Heliyon. .

Abstract

Objectives: World Health Organization has recognized magnesium sulphate as the drug of choice for prevention and treatment of fits associated with preeclampsia and eclampsia which are amongst the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. In this study, the pharmaceutical quality of magnesium sulphate injections marketed in Anambra state was assessed.

Methods: Ninety samples of magnesium sulphate obtained from the 3 senatorial zones in Anambra state were subjected to identification tests, microbiological analysis consisting of Growth promotion test, sterility and endotoxin test. Content analysis using titrimetric method and pH analysis were also carried out on the samples.

Results: Twenty percent (20%) of samples obtained from Onitsha failed identification test as they had no Registration number in Nigeria. All samples subjected to the microbiology tests (sterility and endotoxin test) passed. Twenty percent (20%) and thirty-three percent (33.3%) of samples sourced from Onitsha and Nnewi respectively failed the pH analysis test. All the samples passed microbiological tests and had their Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) within the acceptable limit.

Conclusions: This study reveals that there are still some substandard magnesium sulphate injections in circulation in the locality. The supply chain of these drugs should be monitored to ensure a reduction in the incidences of substandard magnesium sulphate and positive therapeutic outcome which translates to reduced maternal mortality associated with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in Nigeria.

Keywords: Eclampsia; Magnesium sulphate; Pre-eclampsia; Quality drugs; Women's health.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

    1. World Health Organization . 29 May 2017. Definitions of Substandard and Falsified (SF) Medical Products. Seventieth World Health Assembly Update.https://www.who.int/en/news-room/detail/29-05-2017-seventieth-world-heal... Available at. (last accessed 4th February 2020)
    1. Johnston A., Holt D.W. Substandard drugs: a potential crisis for public health. Br. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 2014 Aug;78(2):218–243. PMID: 24286459; PMCID: PMC4137817. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Buckley G.J., Gostin L.O., editors. Countering the Problem of Falsified and Substandard Drugs. Washington (DC) National Academies Press (US); 2013 May 20. Committee on understanding the global public health implications of substandard, falsified, and counterfeit medical products; board on global health; institute of medicine.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK202526/ 2, The Effects of Falsified and Substandard Drugs. Available from: - PubMed
    1. Nsimba S.E. Problems associated with substandard and counterfeit drugs in developing countries: a review article on global implications of counterfeit drugs in the era of antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs in a free market economy. East Afr. J. Publ. Health. 2008 Dec;5(3):205–210. - PubMed
    1. Nayyar G.M., Breman J.G., Herrington J.E. The global pandemic of falsified medicines: laboratory and field innovations and policy perspectives. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2015;92(Suppl 6):2. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources