- Nicosanâ„¢ is an antisickling drug used for prevention of symptoms and pain management in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). It is prepared from a mixture of four Nigerian plant materials: the seeds of Piper guineense, the stems of Pterocarpus osun, the fruits of Eugenia caryophyllum, and the leaves of Sorghum bicolor.
- Nicosanâ„¢ was developed at the Nigerian National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD). It had been produced by Xechem International, Inc., an American-based company that filed for bankruptcy. It is unclear when production will resume.
- Although the evidence supporting the use of Nicosanâ„¢ for SCD is promising, it should be noted that most of these studies were carried out by the Nigerian government, which has a vested interest in the drug's success. Further large-scale, randomized, controlled studies need to be performed before conclusions may be drawn.
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Nicosan
Contents
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