A scientist, Professor Oluwatosin Adaramoye, has said Nigerians need to make a deliberate effort to take herbs as part of their daily lifestyle, to proactively prevent diseases, improve health, enhance their quality of life and sense of well-being.
Adaramoye, a biochemist, in his inaugural lecture entitled, ‘Herbs and Wellness: Memoirs of a Xenobiochemist’, at the University of Ibadan, said many herbs available as spices, components of foods, herbal decoctions or as refreshing perfumes, can offer their inherent protective factors when consumed.
He said the herbs can provide a foundation for wellness and, in turn, help to prevent and overcome diseases, both at present and in the future.
The expert said detailed research has established that herbs such as ginger, garlic, bitter kola, red yeast rice, turmeric, African mistletoe (Afomo) and African guinea pepper can contribute to wellness.
According to him, “The kolaviron present in bitter kola serves as a cardiotonic agent since it prevents cholesterol-induced enlargement of the heart. This suggests that regular intake of bitter kola seeds may protect the heart. So kola nut seeds promote wellness via their cardiovascular effects.
“African guinea pepper has anticancer properties since it inhibits the growth of human cervical cancer and prostate cancer cells. So, African guinea pepper may promote wellness via its anti-proliferation effect.
“Diabetes occurs as a result of complete or relative insulin deficiency and resistance. Bitter kola seeds have been found to promote wellness via their anti-diabetic and cholesterol-lowering effects of kolaviron in rats.
“In fact, the blood sugar lowering effect of African mistletoe is comparable to glibenclamide within four hours of its administration to diabetic rats and thus may promote wellness via its anti-diabetic property.”
Adaramoye, however, warned that despite the widespread use of herbs, there are some drawbacks, including the presence of certain toxins or potentially carcinogenic agents in some herbs.
According to him, these drawbacks called for detailed and proper research to identify the bioactive components and their specific functions in herbs.
He stated that accessibility to the right equipment remains crucial for many researchers in Nigeria to study medicinal plants and called for biomedical scientists and clinicians to collaborate in order to promote the transfer of important research findings to improve health care.
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