HIDDEN DANGERS: THE TRUTH ABOUT HERBAL APHRODISIACS IN MWANZA, TANZANIA

• Dr. Felister N. Mbwaga

  Department of Pharmacognosy and Traditional Medicine, Lake Zone Health Research Institute, Mwanza, Tanzania

  Author

In Tanzania, many people trust and rely on herbal remedies for their health needs, including for sensitive issues like erectile dysfunction (ED). These products are popular because they are seen as natural, affordable, and safe. But is that always the case? Our investigation set out to answer this question by looking at herbal products sold for ED in the Mwanza region. We collected and tested 40 different herbal remedies from local vendors. What we found was alarming. A staggering 62.5% of these products—more than half—were secretly mixed with powerful synthetic drugs used in prescription medications like Viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil). Some of these products contained dangerously high amounts of these drugs, in one case reaching nearly one and a half times the maximum recommended daily dose. This hidden adulteration is a serious public health risk. Consumers believe they are taking a natural remedy, but they are unknowingly ingesting potent pharmaceuticals in unregulated doses. This report sheds light on the scale of this problem and calls for urgent action to protect the health and safety of the Tanzanian public.

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