The Potency of Some Brands of Anti-Diabetic Medicine- Metformin Hydrochloride B.P 500 mg Tablet on the Ghanaian Market

Abstract

Metformin hydrochloride tablet is a drug of choice in the treatment of diabetes mellitus type-2 especially in obese patients. It is normally given in initial doses of 500mg tablet two or three times daily or 850mg once or twice daily with or after meals. Recently there were numerous concerns on the increase in substandard pharmaceutical products on the market. A study was therefore carried out to determine the potency of some brands of metformin hydrochloride tablet BP 500mg using the test method for assay as prescribed in the British Pharmacopoeia (BP) monograph. In the study, seven different brands of sample were purchased from various pharmacies in Accra and analyzed. The results indicated that all the samples analyzed passed the test for assay, dissolution rate and uniformity of weight. It is recommended that a study work be carried out on other brands.

Keywords: Metformin hydrochloride, Diabetes , Potency claim , British Pharmacopeia (BP)