Community pharmacists’ perceptions and knowledge of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) in Kaduna, Nigeria

Herbal supplements or “botanicals,” are a type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) made from one or more plants, and are thought to be useful in treating diseases or maintaining health. These supplements are usually found in pharmacies, and continue to gain popularity among consumers today. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions and knowledge of community pharmacists practicing in Zaria & Kaduna metropolis on herbal supplements. A cross-sectional survey was carried out from July to October 2016 on pharmacists working in 82 randomly selected community pharmacies. A structured questionnaire containing four sections and 45 questions was used to collect data from respondents on their demographic characteristics, personal experiences with herbal supplements, knowledge of selected herbal supplements and general perceptions of herbal supplements. Data collected was coded and analyzed using SPSS version 20, and descriptive statistics used to report results. While 120 questionnaires were distributed, only 99 were eventually retrieved. Majority of the respondents were male (80%), and had BPharm as their highest educational qualification (97%). Most of the respondents reported having used herbal supplements before (92%) and up to 71% had used these supplements within the last 12 months. Many of the respondents (70%) had poor knowledge regarding the indications, safety and interactions associated with the use of selected herbal supplements. Over 90% of them agreed that herbal supplements are beneficial, and should be integrated into conventional clinical care, however less than half of them believed that these supplements were safe and had fewer side effects than conventional medicines. Community pharmacists in Kaduna have poor knowledge but largely positive perceptions of herbal supplements. Keywords: CAM, Knowledge, Perceptions, Community Pharmacists, Herbal Supplements, Nigeri