UNBS probes ‘Viagra’ energy drink

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is set to carry out more studies and tests on the quality of Natural Power SX, an energy drink suspected to be causing abnormal erections among men.
According to laboratory tests by the National Drug Authority (NDA), Natural Power SX contains Sildenafil Citrate, which is branded and marketed as Viagra.
NDA in a December 28 letter signed by Mr David Nahamya on behalf of the secretary to the Authority, Ms Donna Kusemererwa, reported to the UNBS Executive Director, Dr Ben Manyindo that the complainant alleged that after taking the drink, he had prolonged erection and irregular heart beat with constant sweating.

“Following the complaint, NDA sampled the product (butch number E66C expiring on August 30) from Mega Standard Supermarket on October 30, 2018 and subjected it to full Monograph analysis adopted from USP. The results obtained indicated that the product was adulterated with Sildenafil Citrate” the letter reads.
“This is therefore, to share the findings of this analysis with UNBS for your further management since NDA does not regulate energy drinks,” it added.
Sildenafil, sold as the brand name Viagra, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is taken by mouth or injection into a vein.

The alleged adulteration of Natural Power SX with Viagra comes at the time when NDA the regulator of drugs in Uganda, warned last month that Viagra has been found mixed in herbal medicine by herbalists.
Media reports quoted NDA that, “55.08 per cent of the herbal aphrodisiac and imported dietary supplements on the Ugandan market are mixed with Sildenafil and other dangerous medicines.”
The matter was brought to the attention of UNBS by NDA who say they had found samples of Natural Power SX’s butch number E66C adulterated after receiving a complaint from a concerned consumer.

Manufacture
The energy drink is manufactured in Zambia by Zevin Zambia Limited. The complainant, according to NDA experienced “prolonged erection for nearly six hours and abnormal heart beat” after taking the energy drink.
Mr Godwin Muhwezi the head of public relation at UNBS, told Sunday Monitor that a team of experts will study the contents of the letter from NDA and lay out strategies of carrying out thorough tests on the product.
“I will do more consultations before confirming to you what action we are taking. But what we will need to do is to study the content of the letter and go to pick samples for tests,” he said.

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