TLC and IR detection of sildenafil as an undeclared adulterant in some herbal aphrodisiac products marketed in northwest Nigeria

Background: Sildenafil, a phosphodiestrate-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor is used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. There have been reports of adulteration of herbal products with PDE-5 inhibitors without considering its deleterious consequences to public safety.

Objectives: To evaluate the presence of sildenafil as an undeclared adulterant in herbal products marketed in northwest Nigeria by TLC/IR Spectroscopy.

Methods: A survey of herbal aphrodisiac products marketed in four Northwestern Nigerian states was carried out. A sample size (50) representative of the total products surveyed was collected for this study. A simple, rapid thin layer chromatographic (TLC) method was employed for the identification of sildenafil adulterant in herbal aphrodisiac samples. Presence of sildenafil from the suspected products was confirmed by Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis.

Results: TLC method revealed 16 out of 50 herbal aphrodisiac samples to contain sildenafil which was affirmed by Infrared spectroscopy.

Conclusion: About 32% of the market products sampled were adulterated with sildenafil. The use of such products poses a serious threat to public safety.