A dangerous concoction, a blend of cow urine and herbs that falsely claims to cure various illnesses, is openly available for sale in markets, shops, and streets without regulation. PUNCH Healthwise discusses the addictive nature of the ‘hard’ drug known as Adimenu, which leaves many users weak, severely dehydrated, unconscious, and in some cases, dead.
For Ibukun Ayodele, a 25-year-old man, his mother’s love is deeply embedded in his heart. His fervent prayer is for God to bless her with longevity. However, he fears that her consistent use of a particular herbal mixture might hasten her journey to the grave.
He revealed that his mother is dangerously addicted to an herbal concoction popularly known as Adimenu, used to alleviate her back pain.
The locally produced herbal cocktail is being promoted as a panacea for various ailments.
In an interview with PUNCH Healthwise regarding his mother’s affection for the concoction, Ayodele expressed concern, as he witnesses her consuming the liquid regularly. He understands the potential risks of using medications not prescribed by a medical professional and worries about his mother’s well-being.
However, he feels powerless to intervene due to her strong attachment to the herbal cocktail.
He lamented, “I have been trying to persuade my mother to stop using the medication, even though she only takes it once every two months. The harmful effects it has are more severe than its perceived benefits.”
Ayodele also recounted his own bitter experience after attempting to use the concoction.
He described, “I tried it a few times, but the last time I did, I couldn’t keep it in my mouth for more than five minutes. For about three weeks after, I experienced difficulty breathing and felt very weak.”
Incessant Cravings for Adimenu
Several users and relatives of those who have used the herbal mixture shared their experiences, confirming its addictive nature.
A middle-aged man, identified as Alimi, disclosed that his mother became addicted after starting to use the herbal concoction five years ago.
He expressed his concern, stating that she is incapable of sleeping without consuming the medication.
According to Alimi, “Adimenu is widely used and cow urine is one of the ingredients in it. When my mother fell ill about five years ago and couldn’t sleep, she was given the herbal mixture, which helped her sleep soundly. Now, if she doesn’t use it, she struggles to sleep.”
He acknowledged being uncertain about how to help her break free from her dependence on the cocktail.
Adverse Effects
Recalling his brother’s harrowing experience with Adimenu, Alimi mentioned that his brother lost consciousness as soon as the mixture touched his mouth.
He added humorously, “After my brother was revived, he swore never to have anything to do with it again.”
Seeking a High
Before the tragic death of a friend due to complications arising from the use of Adimenu, Rafiu Adebowale, a commercial bus driver, regarded it as an essential part of his routine after long, taxing days of navigating Lagos roads.
According to the man in his 40s, it alleviates his cold symptoms, chest congestion, and body aches.
He affirmed the potency of the herbal cocktail, acknowledging its ability to incapacitate anyone who uses it, yet it remains his preferred ‘soothing’ medication.
However, he expressed his dismay over the negative reputation it has garnered due to the rampant abuse by young individuals.
Adebowale explained, “Adimenu is a potent and efficient medicine, made from cow urine, which may explain its robust nature.
“I have been using it for seven months without experiencing any adverse effects. It’s the only drug I currently use, but some young men have started abusing it, using it as a substitute for tramadol and other potent drugs for intoxication.
“They use it to get ‘high.’ Generally, when using it to treat an ailment, you place it in your mouth, gargle it for three minutes, and spit it out, which is sufficient for it to work, and you can repeat the process later.
“However, if you keep it in your mouth for too long, it starts to intoxicate you. These young men allow it to linger in their mouths for an extended period to achieve a state of intoxication before spitting it out. They repeat the process and become intoxicated.”
Tragic Consequences
Describing the demise of his co-driver due to mistakenly swallowing Adimenu, he narrated, “You should not ingest it, and that’s what killed one of us. He came to work on an empty stomach, used the drug to cleanse his mouth, gargled it, and accidentally swallowed a portion.
“It had an overwhelming effect on him. After some time, he became extremely weak and eventually passed away. It wasn’t his first time using Adimenu.
“Others have also died after using it, prompting people to claim that it’s lethal. Individuals started shunning it, and those who sell it began hiding their stock.”
“Apart from the person I know who died after using it, I heard that about two others also died.”
Lethal and Addictive
Although an old local herbal concoction favored by the elderly and a few young adults, Adimenu attracted widespread attention on the internet when a doctor, @the_beardedsina, posted on X, previously Twitter, about individuals suffering complications from consuming the liquid mixture, resulting in fatalities.
A trader known as Adetomiwa, who commented on the post, divulged that the drug is highly addictive.
He warned, “It was introduced to me by someone. Thank God I quit after using it for two years. People should stop using it. It is highly addictive.”
Another self-proclaimed former user of the product, Adeyemi Adeniyi, shared his own experience, stating that he still hasn’t regained his sense of taste four months after using the herbal mixture.
He added, “My friend was addicted to it, and its usefulness eludes me as I still have not recovered my taste buds… This induces disorientation in your brain and body for about 30 minutes after keeping it in your mouth for five minutes.”
Facebook searches brought up numerous sellers of the product, along with numerous complaints about its adverse side effects.
In a video posted on X, by Richard @richardchidi27, a young man in his twenties suffering from a toothache and swollen gum was given an unspecified dose of the herbal mixture and instructed to retain it in his mouth for five minutes before spitting it out.
However, before the five minutes elapsed, the man, lying on his back with tightly shut eyes, began muttering incoherently.
Richard later clarified that the man had not succumbed to the medication and was only treated for his toothache.
Sexual Enhancement Usage
Inquiries conducted by PUNCH Healthwise revealed that in addition to false claims about curing various illnesses, some men use Adimenu as a libido enhancer. Three young men, who admitted to regular usage, confirmed its efficacy in prolonging sexual stamina and mentioned another brand known as Adimedu.
A religious leader called Ibrahim verified its effectiveness as a sexual enhancer, asserting that he has been using it for five years but acknowledged its side effects.
“Alahu Lateef or any other brand that is Adimenu increases sexual drive. I also discovered that someone must not be too addicted to it. When you are too addicted to it, it has a lot of side effects. It is also very hard for people addicted to stop using it,” he explained.
A Firsthand Encounter
During a visit to the popular Oshodi Market in search of the herbal cocktail, our correspondent was directed to a retailer, Mrs. Susan Fajuyi, who is also a Point-of-Sale operator. Upon further inquiry about the usage and proper dosage, a woman, appearing unwell, arrived and requested the herbal cocktail.
The buyer, later identified as Mrs. Blessing Oke, immediately consumed the contents of a tiny bottle handed to her. Soon after, she began sweating profusely and almost lost her balance, requiring immediate assistance to sit down. Another woman volunteered to pour cold sachet water on her head.
When asked if she felt better after 20 minutes, the woman could only manage to say, “I am very weak. I feel like sleeping. My eyes and my stomach are turning.”
Malign Impact on Health
This herbal cocktail is purported to cure various ailments, including toothaches, rheumatism, malaria, typhoid, jaundice, back pain, and sleeplessness.
Advertisements also claim its ability to eliminate stomach fat and act as a bodily cleanser.
A Facebook search for the drug yielded several brands and containers, albeit only three listed their active ingredients.
Some of the ingredients include roots, ginger, Zingiber offinale, Biccolor, and H2O.
However, a study conducted by Raji Abdullateef and Hajarat Abdullahi revealed the perilous nature of the herbal concoction. Their paper, titled “Herbal Mixture (Adimenu) Toxicological Evaluations Using the Allium cepa L Assay,” published in the East African Scholars Journal of Biotechnology and Genetics in October 2023, concluded that the herbal mixture was hazardous and should be classified as a potent drug and thus proscribed.
They reported that users experienced dizziness, sudden collapses, hospitalization, headaches, and stomach disorders.
Further analysis of the drug’s toxicity indicated that increased herbal concentration led to the multiplication of tumor cells, classifying it as a cancer-causing agent.
In April, NewsNow reported that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency raided a factory in Adamawa State distributing Akuskura psychoactive substances to Chad, Cameroon, and the Niger Republic.
NDLEA’s Director for Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, stated that at the time of the raid, production was ongoing, and large quantities of the drugs were seized.
Further investigations showed that Akuskura, a Hausa word that means to rinse, was declared a deadly psychoactive substance by the NDLEA in September 2022.
The drug, composed of herbs laced with tobacco and cannabis, is available in liquid and powdered forms and is prevalent in the northern and southwestern regions of the country.
A Facebook search of Adimenu revealed an announcement by an Ibadan-based herbal mixture company (name withheld) claiming that their brand of Adimenu, also known as Akuskura, made from roots and leaves, was endorsed by regulatory agencies following raids by NDLEA and NAFDAC.
Consequently, a review of the Adimenu brand from the said company showed no active ingredients listed on its bottle, only boldly indicating its use for treating back pain, hemorrhoids, and as an immune booster.
Fueling Addiction with a Lethal Blend
According to the research by Abdulateef et al, the composition of the herbal mixture included 1% tobacco, 7% ginger, 6% Negro pepper, and 80% water.
Another study published in the 2020 Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacognosy by Faoziyat Sulaiman et al revealed that the mixture, called Adimenu, was tobacco extracted with cow urine.
Their findings indicated that the mixture caused impaired kidney function and hypertension, warranting caution among its consumers.
PUNCH Healthwise discovered that due to the high nicotine content in tobacco, both direct and indirect users grapple with addiction and undergo withdrawal syndrome upon cessation of usage, as per the National Institute of Health.
Health Implications of Addiction
The National Institute of Health highlighted that individuals with addiction often contend with numerous associated health issues, including lung or heart disease, stroke, cancer, or mental health conditions.
It emphasized that imaging scans, chest X-rays, and blood tests can reveal the detrimental effects of prolonged drug use throughout the body, citing instances such as tobacco smoke causing cancer, methamphetamine causing severe dental problems, and opioids leading to overdose and death.
Life-Threatening Reactions
During an interview with Punch Healthwise, Dr. Olusina Ajidahun, stated that the tobacco content in Adimenu was the root of the addiction.
The Internal Medicine specialist and Chief Executive Officer of Lifebox Labs mentioned, “One of the components of Adimenu is tobacco, and the nicotine component in tobacco makes it addictive.
“Many people who interacted with the post mentioned that their relatives were ill and kept demanding it, demonstrating the addictive nature of Adimenu.
“My encounter with someone using the medication also revealed its addictive quality. For some reason, she would wake up around 2 am asking for Adimenu and become erratic if not provided.
“Several individuals attested that their relatives, who consumed the concoction, would incessantly request it. The way addiction works is that people develop a tolerance to certain hard drugs. Perhaps there is even more to Adimenu.”
Ajidahun recounted the deaths of two patients who developed complications after taking the herbal cocktail.
He shared, “I didn’t realize its gravity until a patient addicted to Adimenu was brought into the hospital and eventually succumbed.
“Upon researching, I discovered it was a serious issue. It is something people have lost loved ones to. Unfortunately, individuals who visited the hospital after developing an addiction to it have died,” he lamented.
The physician noted the easy availability of Adimenu in marketplaces, especially at sites with manual labor activities.
He revealed that his investigation into the drugs demonstrated the inclusion of cow urine and tobacco as ingredients used for production.
Counter Perspective
When PUNCH Healthwise contacted a number listed on one of the Adimenu bottles bought, purportedly for marketing purposes, a man identifying himself as Taofeeq and a resident of Abeokuta, claimed the drug is an anti-stroke mixture capable of curing various ailments.
He also asserted that it is highly recommended for individuals seeking to enhance their sexual performance.
He boasted, “It is a good product and you can be assured it will not cause you any problems.
If you purchase in bulk, many people will patronize you. Adimenu is widely used in Abeokuta, especially among youths.
It can be utilized for numerous purposes, is cost-effective, and more efficient. Consequently, numerous individuals are buying it,” he boasted.
When questioned about the drug’s addictive nature, Taofeeq remarked, “It isn’t, but the way many people use it can lead to adverse effects on them.
It is also not advisable to swallow it. We always advise people to only retain it in their mouth and refrain from swallowing it.”
