Beware of fake, toxic P-Alaxin – Experts

Adebayo Obajemu

In recent days, there have been growing complaints of killer P-Alaxin in the market, leading to few reported cases of fatalities. This has raised significant concerns of the public, and much of the questions border on how to identify fake P-Alaxin from genuine ones, given that a lot of the people patronise road side chemists.

But many medical experts spoken to by Business Hallmark say Nigerians should not be unnecessarily worked up , saying though such worries are justified, the way to safe health, they say is to patronise genuine pharmacists, who are certificated.

Dr. Folarin Ogunsawo, Chief Medical Director, Fola Hospital says “there is no clinical test to suggest that P-Alaxin is toxic and capable of causing fatalities, but like any adulterated or fake drug if a patient has the misfortune of purchasing the product in unauthorised place, chances are that it may prove harmful, especially if such person has serious underlying health condition.”

Professor Kenny Osagbemi of the College of Medicine, University of Ilorin told Business Hallmark that ” if there is a reported case of death, then one begins to query the source of the purchase. The issue here is that most Nigerians prefer cheap and quick thing. They find it difficult to go to authorized source. What is wrong with approaching a qualified pharmacist to buy your prescription drug, but instead if they see the drug in the wares of an illiterate woman peddling her wares from street to street they can buy it . And you can see the amount of damage it can cause arising from several factors.

“One, the drug if genuine may have expired and harmful to persons with underlying health challenge or it may even be outright fake.” He advised Nigerians to shun road side when they want to buy drugs.

Dr. Funke Adeola who works at St. Leo Hospital, Falolu, Surulere, said P Alaxin is an effective antimalarial used in the treatment of malaria parasite. There is nothing harmful about, unless it is fake or expired.

She said the drug has two active ingredients which are Dihydroartemisin and Piperaquine, and is available in both tablets and syrup forms.

Business Hallmark’s investigation shows that P-Alaxin is an artemisinin based combined therapy, which is very effective in treating malaria infection in areas of high resistance to conventional antimalarial drugs.

It is a potentially promising anti-malaria drug that is composed of dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine phosphate.

Dr. Ogunsawo said the drug is especially effective in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria as it affects the growth of the parasite which causes malaria.

P-Alaxin’s Active Ingredients

Dihydroartemisinin 40mg/piperaquine 320mg

Directions for use

First day: 3 tablets at once

Second day: 3 tablets at once

Third day: 3 tablets at once

Take preferably with a meal

Warning

As with other medications, consult your doctor or pharmacist before use.

P-Alaxin Leaflet

P-Alaxin is a medication to be administered for three days and the dosage is based on weight. The dosage per weight(in kg); 11 to <17, 1 tablet; 17 to <25, 1.5 tablets; 25 to <36, 2 tablets; 36 to <60, 3 tablets; 60 to <80, 4 tablets; >80, 5 tablets.

This drug is not recommended for use in women during the first three months of pregnancy