PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH STEROIDS ADULTERATION IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINES AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENT PRODUCTS IN COMMUNITY OF MUANG DISTRICT, NAKHON PATHOM PROVINCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/tbps.2021.18Keywords:
steriods, traditional medicines, Dietary supplement, adulterationAbstract
Currently, steroid adulteration in health products that are available to communities is the major problem of steroid misuse. This research aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with steroid adulteration in traditional medicines and dietary supplements. Sample products were collected from the communities in Muang District, Nakhon Pathom Province between December 2018 and March 2019. Steroid adulteration was examined using steroid test kits from the Department of Medical Sciences. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and Fisher’s Exact test were used for data analysis. Of 144 products being surveyed, 90 were traditional medicines (TM) (62.50%). Most of the TM were tablet/bolus (29.86%), unlabeled (34.72%) and falsely labeled (46.53%). In regard to dietary supplements (DS), 54 items were found (37.50%). They included capsule (20.83%), unlabeled (4.86%) and falsely labeled (11.81%). The adulteration of steroids (prednisolone and/or dexamethasone) was found in 29 (32.22%) TM products. No adulteration of steroids was found in DS. The steroid adulterated products were TM without registration numbers and with false labels. In addition, the dosage form (p=0.016), label (c2= 7.15, p=0.007), (p<0.01) and accuracy of label information (p=0.001) were statistically significantly associated with steroid adulteration in the TM products. The results indicated that there were problems related to unsafe TM and DS products in communities, and thus, proactive surveillance and consumer empowerment are needed to ensure the safe consumption of future health products.
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