The recommended diet for human infants within the first 6 months of life is breast milk. No other natural or artificial formulation has been able to match up to this gold standard. Mothers who have attempted to pursue exclusive breastfeeding can, however, attest to numerous nutritional and non-nutritional challenges mainly resulting in insufficient milk production (hypogalactia) or the absence of milk production (agalactia). There are very few and officially recommended orthodox drugs to increase lactation. The most widely used galactagogues being chlorpromazine, sulpiride, metoclopramide and domperidone are associated with very high incidences of unpleasant side effects including their extra-pyramidal effects in both mother and infant. There is therefore a need to keep searching for more acceptable galactagogues. This section reviews current literature on medicinal plants used within the local Ghanaian community to enhance lactation. Various electronic databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, SciFinder and Google Scholar as well as published books on Ghanaian medicinal plants were searched. A total of 22 plants belonging to 13 families were reviewed with regards to their medicinal values, information on lactation and toxicity.
Adansonia digitata L. is a tree indigenous to Ghana and West Africa. It is traditionally used for medicinal, religious and nutritional purposes. Different parts of the plant are used traditionally for the treatment of diseases such as anaemia, malaria, asthma and diarrhoea among others. It is therefore necessary to provide standard parameters for identification and for the purpose of quality control. This study thus sought to investigate the pharmacognostic characteristics and elemental properties of the leaves and stem bark of A. digitata grown and used in Ghana. The macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, phytochemical, physicochemical, fluorescence and elemental properties of the leaf and stem bark were determined using standard protocols. The results of the study showed that the leaves of A. digitata were palmate compound and alternately arranged with stipules at each node. The outer bark was observed to be grey in color while the inner bark was pink to brown and laticiferous. Anomocytic stomata and stellate trichomes were also observed microscopically on the leaf surface. The powdered stem bark contained brachysclereids and prismatic calcium oxalate crystals. Saponins, tannins, flavonoids and alkaloids were detected in both leaf and stem bark. They additionally exhibited different fluorescence characters in various solvents. The plant contained major and minor nutritional elements in varying quantities. The results of this study can serve as reliable parameters for accurate identification and authentication of A. digitata L. hence ensuring quality.
Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thonn is a plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family and is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical countries. This plant is known in English as black catnip, carry me seed, child pick-a-back, among many other names. 1 It is currently found in many countries including India,
The majority of people living in developing countries rely on alternative medicine for many aspects of their healthcare needs. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of alternative treatments have been adopted in a bid to prevent contracting and sometimes purported to cure the disease. However, the adopted medicinal plants are mainly arbitrary and have not been captured nor reviewed in the light of available knowledge. In this review, we examined the herbs, fruits, vegetables and other alternative therapies that have been employed by many Ghanaians with the aim of COVID-19 disease prevention. The majority of these herbs are medicinal plants known to have antiviral activities, while others boost the immune system.
Diseases that affect the digestive tract are referred to as Gastrointestinal ailments. Gastrointestinal (GI) ailments contribute substantially to healthcare costs all over the world. <em>Ocimum gratissimum</em>, commonly known as African basil is a wellknown medicinal herb with a wide therapeutic potential. In most West African homes, it is employed as a home remedy for treating GI ailments such as diarrhoea, colitis, stomach ulcers, bloating, among several other conditions. Anecdotal reports support its efficacy in the treatment of these disease conditions. This review summarizes ethnomedicinal data for the use of <em>O. gratissimum</em> in the management of gastrointestinal ailments, and its potential clinical application based on its pharmacological activity.
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