Cent Eur J Public Health 2025, 33(3):181-186 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8397

Detection and quantification of Sildenafil and Tadalafil in dietary supplements marketed as natural sexual enhancers in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Elma Omeragić1, Lejla Jesenković-Habul2, Belma Imamović1, Mirza Dedić1, Amila Turalić1, Ervina Bečić1
1 Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2 Institute for Public Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Objectives: The primary aim of this study is to detect and quantify the presence of Sildenafil (SDF) and Tadalafil (TDF) in dietary supplements marketed as natural sexual enhancers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, the study seeks to utilize these findings to inform relevant authorities, enabling further testing in reference laboratories and prompting the necessary actions to remove these adulterated products from the market.

Methods: Using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD), 20 samples were analysed for the PDE-5 inhibitors.

Results: The analysis revealed that seven of the samples contained either SDF or TDF, with mean concentrations ± standard deviation (SD) ranging from 2,075.57 ± 0.47 µg/g to 33,808.857 ± 99.43 µg/g, and TDF concentrations ranging from 24.16 ± 0.11 µg/g to 3,994.66 ± 6.95 µg/g.

Conclusion: These findings indicate a significant health risk posed by the adulteration of these products. The widespread presence of these active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in products falsely labelled as natural underscores the urgent need for stringent regulatory oversight and enhanced quality control measures to protect consumer safety. This study adds to the growing body of evidence concerning the adulteration of dietary supplements and emphasizes the critical importance of regulatory compliance and monitoring in safeguarding public health.

Keywords: Sildenafil, Tadalafil, PDE-5 inhibitors, dietary supplements, sexual enhancement, adulteration

Received: August 27, 2024; Revised: June 28, 2025; Accepted: June 28, 2025; Published: September 30, 2025  Show citation

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Omeragić E, Jesenković-Habul L, Imamović B, Dedić M, Turalić A, Bečić E. Detection and quantification of Sildenafil and Tadalafil in dietary supplements marketed as natural sexual enhancers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2025;33(3):181-186. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a8397.
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