A Normative Study of the Components of Niprisan—an Herbal Medicine for Sickle Cell Anemia Obiageli O. Obodozie, PhD Sunday J. Ameh, BSc (Hon) Ernest K. Afolabi, HND. Eunice O. Oyedele, HND. Theophilus A. Ache, ND. Cordelia E. Onanuga, HND. Martha C. Ibe, HND. Uford S. Inyang, PhD. ABSTRACT. Niprisan R  is an herbal medicine for sickle cell anemia developed in the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD). It is prepared from pepper seeds [Piper guineense Schum. & Thonn., Piperaceae], clove flower buds [Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb., Myrtaceae], caprium stem [Pterocar- pus osun (L.) Craib., Fabaceae], sorghum leaves [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. Poaceae], and “trona” The components were sourced from food dealers and herbalists prequalified as suppliers by the Institute’s department of Medicinal Plant Research and Traditional Medicine (MPRTM), based on the criteria proposed by World Health Organization (WHO, 1998. Quality control methods for medicinal plant materials, pp. 1–115. Geneva: WHO) for the collection and handling of medicinal plant materials. The aim of the work is to establish limits for features that will influence decisions on the components. The paper describes and quantifies as per WHO guidelines of 1998 and British Pharmacopoeia (British Pharmacopoeia, 2004. Volume IV. The Stationery Office Limited, London. Appendix II D, Atomic spectrophotometry: emission and absorption, pp. A143-145. Determination of pH, pp. A143-145; Appendix VL, De- termination of pH Values, pp. A199-A200, 2004.), the most striking features of these components and demonstrates that all, except Eugenia caryophyllata, exist in more Dr Obodozie, Mr. Ameh, Mr. Afolabi, Mrs Oyedele, Mr. Ache, Mrs Cordelia, Mrs Ibe, and Dr. Inyang are all affiliated with the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Quality Control (MCQC), National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. Address correspondence to: Sunday J. Ameh, BSc (Hon)., Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Quality Control (MCQC), National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), PMB 21, Garki, Idu Industrial Area, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria (E-mail: sjitodo@yahoo.com). Journal of Dietary Supplements, Vol. 7(1), 2010 Available online at www.informaworld.com/WJDS C  2010 by Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. All rights reserved. doi: 10.3109/19390210903534988 21 J Dietary Suppl Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Jane Fay on 09/19/14 For personal use only.