Kazire Factory Develops Herbal Drug For Treating Peptic Ulcers

MBARARA: The National Drug Authority (NDA) has approved a locally-made herbal drug for the management and treatment of Peptic Ulcers.

 A study conducted with the support of Mbarara University Science and Technology (MUST), Kazire Health Products Limited, a Mbarara City-based herbal drinks factory, has innovated and produced a drug named ALSATON  which will grant relief to patients who have been battling peptic ulcers in Uganda and beyond.

According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) data published in 2020, Peptic Ulcer disease deaths in Uganda reached 687 or 0.33% of total deaths, ranking Uganda 63rd in the world.

ALSATON’s dosage form is liquid and is packed in a 200ml pet bottle, which a ResearchFinds team has seen.

ResearchFinds has seen a ‘notification of product’ (clearance) letter from the NDA giving the factory the green light to manufacture and market the herbal medicine within Uganda. 

“Only the notified products can be marketed in the country,” Mrs. Juliet Awori Oketcho who signed on behalf of the NDA secretary, wrote about ALSATON on September 2, 2022.

In the letter which was also copied to the Regulatory Affairs Manager at NDA, Mrs. Oketcho revealed that the application files and samples for the product had been thoroughly evaluated, the herbal medicine qualified as such and placed on the list of ‘Notified Herbal Products’ in the NDA system.

But she warned: “Please note that all promotions/ adverts regarding Herbal medicines must be vetted and approved by NDA before they are used in any advertisement.”

Kazire’s Coordinator for Research and Development, Mr. Sedrack Atuhaire, wrote to ResearchFinds yesterday and affirmed the approval saying ALSTON is the factory’s second drug to emerge out of their research program and be approved by NDA.

“This is the second drug by Kazire Health Products Limited to get notified. Slowly, we are drifting towards the world of Pharmaceutical independence as a country and by God’s grace, we shall improve Uganda’s health care using our means and God’s given natural resources.”

Mr. Atuhaire confirmed that on top of NDA notification, the factory was in touch with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations secretariat to have the drug upgraded to the clinical trials stage, a crucial undertaking in the drugs manufacturing industry that will give a higher level of authenticity.

According to the USA’s National Institute on Aging (NIA), clinical trials are research studies performed on people that are aimed at evaluating a medical, surgical, or behavioral intervention. They are the primary way that researchers find out if a new treatment, like a new drug or diet, or medical device (for example, a pacemaker) is safe and effective in people.

In Kazire’s case, ALSATON is still categorized as herbal medicine but safe for human use. 

Background:

Last month, Kazire Health Products in Mbarara City was cleared (https://bit.ly/3qpYvxC) by the NDA to scale up its herbal drugs research program which meant that the factory, known for its range of health and nutritional beverages, would soon start manufacturing herbal drugs for human disease treatment.

“We have finally got a license to manufacture drugs. We now join the club of Rene Industries, Kampala Pharmaceutical Industries, Cipla Quality Chemicals, etc,” Mr. Atuhaire, wrote to ResearchFinds then.

The factory received two certifications clearing it to manufacture herbal therapies. 

Kazire has for many years been known for producing an array of health drinks such as Kazire Orange Tea Drink, Kazire Lemon Green Tea Drink, Kazire VIT Fruit Drink, Kazire Aloe Green Tea Drink, and Kazire Mineral Water, among others.

In moving to herbal drugs research and production, the factory is plating in the league of international drug manufacturers.

Mr. Atuhaire told ResearchFinds that the factory was poised to produce herbal drugs for the treatment of ulcers, flue, and swine fever in pigs.

What motivated Kazire’s latest innovation?

According to Mr. Atuhaire, the factory was inspired by recent studies which have indicated a high prevalence of peptic ulcers among the Ugandan population ranging from 12% to 39% for those that have been clinically diagnosed.

“It should be noted that current peptic ulcer treatment involves using several chemically produced drugs to reduce the rate of stomach acid secretion. The existing conventional drugs cause several adverse effects, yet herbal drugs have fewer side effects when they are standardized,” he argued.

He added: “The known herbal drugs have not been standardized to establish the dosage and ascertain their efficacy in humans. This is a basis that ignited the current study. We want to put to an end, the problem of ulcers, but we can’t do it the way our grandparents were doing it. We have to meet the international scientific standards because we have the capacity.”

He revealed that the drug’s efficacy, toxicity, and phytochemical components have been thoroughly analyzed.

“This herbal formulation that we prepared to treat peptic ulcers is from our plants. Our forefathers used to do the same formulations and even now in communities, herbalists are doing the same, but they can’t ascertain the level of efficacy, toxicity, and phytochemical components in their formulations,” he said.

He said the ALSATON was made to target individuals of all ages. 

“This is because studies indicate that Peptic Ulcers are more prevalent among school-going children and the female gender. So, our innovation is about the generation but most importantly, the most affected populations are known from the existing studies,” he added.

How ALSTON research was conducted:

According to Mr. Atuhaire, the research was conducted by the company’s research team with the support of Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) which allowed the company’s researchers access to and use its Microbiology Laboratory.

The study took analysis of natural products such as Warburgia ugandansis, Green Tea -Hibiscus sabdalifa, Bidens pilossa, Cabbage, and Honey. Samples were collected from communities for analysis over some time at MUST’s Pharmacy lab for efficacy, toxicity, and phytochemical profiles.

The researchers further tested them for microbial levels and managed to obtain findings that formed the protocol for NDA’s scrutiny.

The Story of Kazire Health Products:

The story of Kazire Health Products Limited is synonymous with its founder, Dr. Edward Kazaire, a Chemist, Researcher, and Catechist in the Roman Catholic Church.

With remarkable spirit, tenacity, faith, passion, sweat, and prayer, Dr. Kazaire is a household name in the health drinks industry in Uganda.

“He has carved for himself a business empire that’s now estimated at over Shs15 billion shillings, making him one of the youngest billionaires in Ugandan shilling terms and a millionaire in US dollars,” writes kikubolane.com, a business news online website.

The website says he chose the brand name Kazire in honor of his grandfather who once built a big business out of motorcades in the 1960s. His company, Kazire Herbal Products directly employs over 200 people and indirectly over 5,000 people.

His gigantic factory that stands in Mbarara town produces over 800 cartons of health drinks per day extracted from lemons, pineapples, oranges, green tea, aloe vera, and more than 100 other traditional herbs from his gardens, local farmers, and out growers.