title: Herbal medicines supplied by community pharmacies in Lagos, Nigeria: pharmacists' knowledge.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of herbal medicines is on the increase globally and they are usually supplied in pharmacies as non-prescription medicines. Pharmacists are, therefore, responsible for educating and informing the consumers about rational use of herbal medicines.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the knowledge of pharmacists in Lagos, Nigeria with regards to the herbal medicines they supplied by their pharmacies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pharmacists in charge of randomly selected 140 community pharmacies from 20 Local Government Areas in Lagos were required to fill out a self-administered questionnaire. We gathered information on their knowledge of the indications, adverse effects, potential drug-herb interactions and contraindications of the herbal medicines they supply in their pharmacies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 140 questionnaires distributed, 103 (72.9%) participants completed the questionnaire appropriately. The majority (74; 71.8%) of the participants were males and 36-50 years (56; 54.4%). The pharmacies supplied mostly Yoyo cleanser bitters® (101; 98.5%), ginseng (97; 98.5%), Jobelyn® (91; 88.3%), Ciklavit® (68; 66.6%), gingko (66; 64.1%), herbal tea (66; 64.1%), and Aloe vera (57; 55.3%). The pharmacists self-rated their knowledge of herbal medicines mostly as fair (39%) and good (42%), but they exhibited poor knowledge with regards to the indications, contraindications and safety profiles. Seventy participants consulted reference materials such as leaflet insert in the herbal medicines (56%) and internet (20%) before supplying herbal medicines. The information most frequently sought was herb-drug interactions (85%), contraindications (75%) and adverse effects (70%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Community pharmacists need to be informed about the indications and safety profiles of herbal medicines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Lagos State University . Lagos ( Nigeria ). kazeemoshikoya@ymail.com.
authors.forename: Kazeem Adeola
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Oshikoya
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos . Lagos ( Nigeria ).
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Oreagba
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Lagos State University . Lagos ( Nigeria ).
authors.forename: Olayinka O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Ogunleye
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos . Lagos ( Nigeria ).
authors.forename: Rashidat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oluwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric and Child Health, College of Medicine, Lagos State University . Lagos ( Nigeria ).
authors.forename: Idowu O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Senbanjo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos . Lagos ( Nigeria ).
authors.forename: Sunday O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Olayemi
keywords: Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Herb-Drug Interactions; Herbal Medicine; Nigeria; Pharmacies; Pharmacists; Phytotherapy