Geared towards achieving a healthy life, Nigerian scientists have validated a combination of local herbs for enriched with powerful immune strengthening benefits for the management and prevention of infectious and chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cold, cough, catarrh and COVID-19.

The active ingredients of the herbal combo or rather Intercedd Health Products (IHP) bitters include: Bitter kola, ginger, black pepper, Zobo, andrographis paniculata and tetrapleura tetraptera, which experts have researched and certified as antidotes for different ailments.

As gathered, the indications of the product include: Normalises physical function, purifies the blood, controls blood sugar, energises the body, restores optimum health, manages high blood pressure, protect the liver and gall bladder, detoxifier and rich in antioxidants.

The IHP is a subsidiary of Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme (BDCP)/Bioresources Development Group (BDG). IHP produces and markets drugs developed by the International Centre for Ethnomedicine and Drug Development, a research and development centre based in Nsukka, Enugu State. IHP products are manufactured at the processing facility of Bioresources Institute of Nigeria (BION) Umuna, Okigwe, Imo State. BION is also a subsidiary of BDCP/BDG.

Interestingly, a professor of pharmacognosy and former Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Maurice Iwu, is the founder/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BDCP/BDG. Iwu said the product would be inaugurated in Lagos and Abuja on November 19 and November 20 respectively.

The botanical ingredients used historically in preparing bitters have consisted of aromatic herbs, bark, roots, and/or fruit for their flavour and medicinal properties.

Most bitters contain water and alcohol, the latter of which functions as a solvent for botanical extracts as well as a preservative.

However, several local and international studies have validated the therapeutic potentials of these plants in treating infectious and chronic diseases. Tetrapleura tetraptera, besides its use in treating diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy and convulsion, a local spice, it could be effective in healing wounds.

According to a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, the fruit of Tetrapleura tetraptera is frequently used in Tropical African traditional medicine for the management and/or control of an array of human ailments, including arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, asthma, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, epilepsy, schistosomiasis, and so on.

Tetrapleura tetraptera belongs to the mimosaceae/fabacae family. It is locally known as aridan among the Yoruba, osakirisa or oshosho among the Igbo, dawo among the Hausa, all in Nigeria, and is also referred to as prekese among the Twi people of Ghana.

The fruit consist of a fleshy pulp with small, brownish-black seeds. The dry fruit has a pleasant aroma. It is therefore, used as a popular seasoning spice in Southern and Eastern Nigeria. The fruit is used to prepare soup for mothers from the first day of birth to prevent post partum contraction. Its fruits are used for the management of convulsions, leprosy, inflammation, rheumatism, flatulence, jaundice and fevers.

Related News

The anticonvulsant activity of the volatile oil from fresh fruits of Tetrapleura tetrapterain mice has been reported. Its leaves are essential for the treatment of epilepsy and present strong molluscicidal activity. The aqueous fruit extract has also been shown to possess hypoglycaemic (blood glucose-reducing) properties. The root extract has also been used for the treatment of gastrointestinal related clinical problems.

Andrographis paniculata, which belongs to the plant family acanthaceae is one of the most popular medicinal plants used traditionally for the treatment of array of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, ulcer, leprosy, bronchitis, skin diseases, flatulence, colic, influenza, dysentery, dyspepsia and malaria for centuries in Asia, America and Africa continents. It possesses several photochemical constituents with unique and interesting biological properties. Diterpenes, flavonoids, xanthones, noriridoides and other miscellaneous compounds have been isolated from the plant. Extract and pure compounds of the plant have been reported for their anti-microbial, cytotoxicity, anti-protozoan, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immunostimulant, anti-diabetic, anti-infective, anti-angiogenic, hepato-renal protective, sex hormone/sexual function modulation, liver enzymes modulation insecticidal and toxicity activities. The results of numerous toxicity evaluations of extracts and metabolites isolated from this plant did not show any significant acute toxicity in experimental animals.

For hibiscus sabdariffa, also called roselle or Zobo in Nigeria, new research findings indicate that the flower and leaf extracts could provide the next novel drug for hypertension and coronary heart diseases.

Nigerian researchers have confirmed that drinking tea made with flower extracts of hibiscus sabdariffa lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

Researchers have also demonstrated how the flower extracts of hibiscus could be used to reduce weight, prevent obesity and coronary heart diseases like atherosclerosis by lowering the blood levels of low density lipo-protein ‘bad’ cholesterol.    

The benefits of piper guineense, which is commonly called West African black pepper or Ashanti pepper (Uziza in Igbo and Ata iyere in Yoruba) are numerous too. Piper guineense is a West African spice plant with medicinal property and widely used traditionally in the treatment of various ailments. The phytochemical studies of the plant revealed the presence of proteins, carbohydrates, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, tannins and phenolic compounds. It also contains vitamins, minerals and fat. Various studies have been done on the plant to determine its pharmacological and therapeutic properties such as antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, fertility, aphrodisiac, anticonvulsant and larvicidal properties.

Ginger is a common and widely consumed as a spice and an herbal medicine for a long time. Ginger root is used to attenuate and treat several common diseases, such as headaches, colds, nausea, and emesis. Many bioactive compounds in ginger have been identified, such as phenolic and terpene compounds. The phenolic compounds are mainly gingerols, shogaols, and paradols, which account for the various bioactivities of ginger. In recent years, ginger has been found to possess biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. In addition, studies have demonstrated that ginger possesses the potential to prevent and manage several diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes mellitus, chemotherapy-induced nausea and emesis, and respiratory disorders.

Also, there good news that, at least, a piece of bitter kola could be the treatment for low libido, low sperm count, erectile dysfunction and knee osteoarthritis.

Results of a study published in African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology have confirmed that bitter kola possesses sexual enhancing effects on male rats as evidenced by the increased mounting and intromission frequencies with increased number of subsequent ejaculations over the 20 minutes observation period.

Garcinia kola may be acting as antioxidant to either inhibit or slow down the progression of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. It could also act as a scavenger to remove the particles that have been observed on the surfaces of human articular cartilage following trauma and osteoarthritis. The particles contained calcium and phosphorus, which were identified only in structurally abnormal cartilage.