By Fred Itua, Abuja
On February 22, scientists, politicians and stakeholders in alternative medicine in Nigeria converged on Abuja to chart a new path for herbal medicine in the country, at the public presentation of Healing Plants of Nigeria: Ethnomedicine and Therapeutic Applications, authored by Rev. Fr. Anselm Adodo and Prof. Maurice Iwu.
Published in 2020, the 332-page book highlights applications of medicinal plants for the treatment of malaria, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and opportunistic infections of the human immuno-deficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), among other diseases.
The material offers comprehensive information on the use of herbal medicine in West Africa. Combining an evidence-based, ethno-botanical perspective with a pharmacological and pharmaceutical approach to phytomedicine, the book bridges the gap between the study of herbal plants’ pharmacological properties and active compounds for the development of clinical drugs and community-oriented approaches, emphasising local use.
It demonstrates how the framework of African traditional medicine can be preserved in a contemporary clinical context. The book outlines the history and beliefs surrounding the traditional use of herbs by the local population alongside their application in contemporary phytotherapy in West Africa. It features a critical assessment of the scientific rationale behind the use of these plants in ethnomedicine and offers a composite catalogue of phytotherapeutic and wellness agents, detailing the safety profile, efficacy, and scientific integrity of plants used to treat diseases and optimise health.
At the event, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu; former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Iwu, and other scholars brainstormed on the development of alternative medicine in Nigeria.
Onu, who was guest of honour, said his ministry would soon unveil a cure for prostrate cancer, revealing that the research had reached an advanced stage. He also urged researchers to work harder and ensure that alternative medicine was promoted to the global stage.
He said: “We are lucky to have to distinguished authors who are looking into the past and unraveling what our ancestors did. They’re also showing us the need to go back and use these things. We don’t need to import into Nigeria the things we can produce ourselves.
“We’ve so many medicinal plants that can make Nigeria great. To be a leading in the world, we need to have something that will attract people here. We need to lead in one area. We can lead and others will follow us. We can narrow the gaps that currently exist and in no time, we will overtake.
“Today, we know that, in our forests, we can get cure for sicknesses. We are doing something about prostrate cancer and, very soon, we will announce to the world what we have done. Nigerians are doing well across the world. If they can do well there, they can do well here too.
“Insecurity will be far worse, if Nigerians are hungry and they can’t feed. We need to begin to protect our environment. Nigeria is a great nation and we will achieve great things together.”
Chairman at the event, Adewale Adebayo, said: “I like the idea that we keep challenging orthodoxy. We need to understand the importance of alternative medicine. The processes of thinking is what leads to many developments we see in the society.
“In terms of medicine, we have made our strides. What this book has shown us is that we can retrace our steps. Now that the western world is beginning to appreciate that they’ve limitations in medicine, it’s time to raise our game. I commend the writers and I hope this is the beginning of greater things to come. Anyone who wants to look at medicine will find this book useful.”
Guest speaker, Prof. Olabayo Kunle, said: “There is still poor access to healthcare and conventional medicine. We need our people to trust alternative medicine. The issue of affordability is important. Nigerians must be able to afford it. The use of herbal medicine is growing.
“Unfortunately, we don’t consider the herbal medicine we produce here as the alternative we rely more on the conventional medicine. The economy around herbal medicine is not enough to fund research and development in the area. When the COVID-19 came, there were claims that a cure had been gotten. Where are the treatments? Today, we are all lining up to receive the vaccine.”
Iwu is regarded as one of Africa’s best pharmacologists and experts in tropical medicine. He is a member of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene as well as the International Society for Medicinal Plant Research. He was executive director, Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme, and a senior research andssociate at the Division of Experimental Therapeutics of Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington D.C.
On the other hand, Adodo is a member of the Benedictine Order of the Catholic Church. He was ordained a priest in 1997. He had his initial philosophical training in philosophy in St. Benedict Monastery, Ewu. He is the founder and director of Nigeria’s foremost herbal research institute, the Pax Herbal Clinic and Research Laboratories, popularly called Paxherbals.