Experts in herbal medical products have
said that compared to India and China, Nigeria is better positioned to
manufacture herbal medicines and nutraceuticals.
‘Nutraceuticals’ is a broad umbrella term
that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with
extra health benefits, in addition to the basic nutritional value found
in foods.
Speaking at a press conference for the
HerbFest 2015, a herbs, health foods and natural products expo scheduled
to hold in October, Professor of Pharmacognosy, Maurice Iwu,
said he and his colleagues made the claim because over 48 plants in
Nigeria are of commercial value, while no less than 30 of them are food
plants.
Present on the occasion are the Director
General/Chief Executive of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research,
Oshodi, Dr. Gloria Elemo; Director-General of the Nigerian Natural
Medicine Development Agency, Mr. Sam Oghene, and other scientists.
Iwu said the focus of the HerbFest 2015
is on economic exploitation of Nigeria’s medicinal plants, towards
making a positive impact on national health system.
He said, “We recognise the need for the
sustainability of African plants and foods for medicine, with emphasis
on good manufacturing process.
“Herbal medicine is an area in which
Nigeria has competitive advantages over India and China, yet it is not
being exploited to its full potential.”
The
former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission urged
orthodox physicians to recognise the use of natural herbal products in
treating diseases and illnesses, saying it’s a global trend in which
Nigeria must participate fully.
Extolling the praise of natural medicinal products, Iwu said the “African periwinkle plant (Catharantus
roseus) is the number one plant used in the treatment of cancer;”
adding that scientists in advanced countries have only repackaged herbal
medicines and medicinal plants as orthodox drugs in western markets.
He revealed that towards this end, the
College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, has also incorporated
traditional medicine into its medical curriculum, with the aim of making
trainee doctors acquainted with them.
In her speech, the DG of FIIRO, Elemo,
said the research institute and the NNMDA collaborate annually to
organise the HerbFest, with the sole aim of bringing together
researchers, investors, scientists, natural products manufacturers,
etc., to showcase the available natural products for use in Nigeria and
beyond.
She said, “HerbFest is one of the forums
we use to teach people how to commercialise nutraceuticals and herbal
products, with the aim of improving the health of our people.”
Oghene the pharmacist said the United
States of America reported annual growth rate of $200bn in the sale of
functional foods (foods that have a potentially positive effect on
health beyond basic nutrition), and that Nigeria’s herbal pharmacopoeia
contains a description of drugs used in current medical practice, their
formulae, analytical composition, physical constants, and main chemical
properties, in line with global standards as recognised by the World
Health Organisation.
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