The public has been warned by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) against the use of Glucozil, an herbal medicine for diabetes linked with the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, saying the batch in circulation is not approved.
The regulatory agency said the herbal medicine certificate of the product claimed to manage high blood sugar has expired since November 2022, without renewal.
“The manufacturing, distribution or marketing of this product is not allowed until the renewal application has been submitted and approved by the agency,” NAFDAC said in an official statement released on Tuesday.
The active ingredients in Glucozil are not known. The product is said to work by stimulating the production of insulin, the hormone that helps the body use glucose for energy.
Glucozil is also said to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may help to protect the body from the damage caused by diabetes.
NAFDAC however noted that the product’s claims of treating, curing and preventing diabetes, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and detoxification were never approved for Glucozil as claimed in a publication earlier.
It also states that its records do not show that Ambrose Alli University is the manufacturer or the applicant of the product for which the Listing is no longer valid.
“The Agency Listed Glucozil Capsule on the 10th of November 2020 for the “management of high blood sugar” (as captured on the approved label and Listing Certificate issued to the applicant) which was valid till 9th of November 2022. Therefore the herbal medicine certificate has expired”, it said.
“As specified in the Herbal Medicine and Related Products Labelling Regulations 2021, this listing was subject to the inclusion of the mandatory Disclaimer “These claims have not been evaluated by NAFDAC on the product label. This is the regular disclaimer that is used and required for other listed herbal products that have not undergone clinical trials that the agency deemed satisfactory.”
It reiterated that it is crucial to exercise caution when interpreting health-related claims and refer to NAFDAC’s official communications channels for accurate updates and information.
