Cultivation and Conservation of African Medicinal Plants for Pharmaceutical Research and Socio-Economic Development

Halilu, Emmanuel Mshelia

doi:10.5772/intechopen.102637

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Despite the use of medicinal plants for millennia, information on African mushrooms in healthcare is less abundant [ 207 , 208 ]. Edible medicinal mushrooms, whether in the form of biomass, extracts, or derivatives, are potential sources of many bioactive products that can regulate immunity [ 209 ].…”

Section: Nutritional Perspectives In Sickle Cell Diseasementioning

confidence: 99%

Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions

Bell,

Varzakas,

Psaltopoulou

et al. 2024

Nutrients

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Sickle cell disease (SCD), a distinctive and often overlooked illness in the 21st century, is a congenital blood disorder characterized by considerable phenotypic diversity. It comprises a group of disorders, with sickle cell anemia (SCA) being the most prevalent and serious genotype. Although there have been some systematic reviews of global data, worldwide statistics regarding SCD prevalence, morbidity, and mortality remain scarce. In developed countries with a lower number of sickle cell patients, cutting-edge technologies have led to the development of new treatments. However, in developing settings where sickle cell disease (SCD) is more prevalent, medical management, rather than a cure, still relies on the use of hydroxyurea, blood transfusions, and analgesics. This is a disease that affects red blood cells, consequently affecting most organs in diverse manners. We discuss its etiology and the advent of new technologies, but the aim of this study is to understand the various types of nutrition-related studies involving individuals suffering from SCD, particularly in Africa. The interplay of the environment, food, gut microbiota, along with their respective genomes collectively known as the gut microbiome, and host metabolism is responsible for mediating host metabolic phenotypes and modulating gut microbiota. In addition, it serves the purpose of providing essential nutrients. Moreover, it engages in direct interactions with host homeostasis and the immune system, as well as indirect interactions via metabolites. Nutrition interventions and nutritional care are mechanisms for addressing increased nutrient expenditures and are important aspects of supportive management for patients with SCD. Underprivileged areas in Sub-Saharan Africa should be accompanied by efforts to define and promote of the nutritional aspects of SCD. Their importance is key to maintaining well-being and quality of life, especially because new technologies and products remain limited, while the use of native medicinal plant resources is acknowledged.

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Section: Nutritional Perspectives In Sickle Cell Diseasementioning

confidence: 99%

Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions

Bell,

Varzakas,

Psaltopoulou

et al. 2024

Nutrients

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“…It has been estimated that 84% of drugs or their structures now used for mental disorders have been obtained from natural sources (Bharate et al, 2018). According to Halilu (2022), medicinal plants can be a significant source of income for research in pharmaceutical science and socio-economic development. B. disticha is certainly a plant from which neuroprotective products can be developed for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, epilepsy, depression, and anxiety.…”

Section: Potential Pharmaceutical Development With Ethno-psychoactive...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The use and potential abuse of psychoactive plants in southern Africa: an overview of evidence and future potential

Nyazema,

Chanyandura,

Egan

2024

Front. Pharmacol.

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BackgroundMost Bantu ethnic groups in southern Africa utilize indigenous herbal medicines, some of which have psychoactive properties. Traditional medical practitioners (TMPs) commonly use them not only for divinatory purposes but to treat and manage mental and other illnesses. Unfortunately, the research on their results, risks, and benefits do not align. Little is known about their potential abuse among TMPs and community members in southern Africa. Herbal medicines are complex because whole plants are sometimes used, unlike in other treatments which use only one active ingredient. However, if the key mechanisms of action of these ethnomedicinal plants can be identified through socio-pharmacological research, useful botanical agents can be developed. A review of socio-pharmacological studies to evaluate the consequences of exposure to ethnomedicinal plants with psychoactive properties was conducted with the aim of identifying harm reduction strategies and investigating how the plants could be developed into useful botanicals.MethodThe search methods involved retrieval of records from PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Dissertations and Theses Global, and OpenGrey. The English language and human subjects were used as filters. In addition, some information was obtained from TMPs and community members.ResultsThe following psychoactive plants were found to be commonly used or abused: Boophone disticha, Cannabis sativa, Datura stramonium, Leonotis leonurus, Psilocybe cubensis, and Sceletium tortuosum. The commercialization of Cannabis, L. leonurus, S. tortuosum, and Aspalathus is growing fast. The abuse liability of B. disticha, D. stramonium, and P. cubensis appears not to be appreciated. Five countries were found to have TMP policies and three with TMP Councils.ConclusionTMPs in the region are aware of the CNS effects of the identified psychoactive plants which can be explored further to develop therapeutic agents. There is a need to work closely with TMPs to reduce harm from the abuse of these plants.

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“…China has responded positively and cultivate most of the medicinal plant species they use (He et al 2022, Shen et al 2021. However, the cultivation of medicinal plants has received little or no attention from most African countries including Ghana (Halilu 2022). The only country in Africa noted for medicinal plant cultivation is South Africa (Nwafor et al 2021) where only about 1% is presently being cultivated.…”

Section: Medicinal Plant Diversity and Use In The Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Medicinal plant use and integration of traditional healers into health care system: A case study at Ankasa Forest Reserve and catchment communities in Ghana

Essandoh

Dali

Bryant

2023

Ethnobot. Res. App.

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Background:The study documented the medicinal plants used to treat diseases and assessed the level of integration of traditional medicine practice (TMP) into the health care delivery system in the study area.Methods: A structured questionnaire was purposively used to select informants from Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association. The ethnographic method using a semi-structured questionnaire, interviews and group discussions was employed to collect data for assessing level of integration. The Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) and Used Value (UV) of the species were determined.Results: A total of 132 medicinal plant species was recorded. The most dominant family was the Fabaceae (19 species), growth form was the tree (76 % of species), the commonly used plant part was the bark (81 species), a disease commonly treated was malaria (34 species), and most common method of drug preparation was decoction (46.1 %). The medicinal plants with the highest RFC (0.90) and UV (1.72) values were Morinda lucida Benth. and Nauclea latifolia Sm. respectively. The low level of integration of TMP into the care health system was mainly due to poor collaboration between TMPs and biomedical staff. Conclusion:Traditional communities rely on medicinal plants for primary healthcare but poor conservation practices put the knowledge and practice of traditional healing at a risk. The integration of TMP into the health care system needs Ghana government`s attention in the study area.

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Cultivation and Conservation of African Medicinal Plants for Pharmaceutical Research and Socio-Economic Development

Cited by 3 publications

References 35 publications

Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions

Sickle Cell Disease Update: New Treatments and Challenging Nutritional Interventions

The use and potential abuse of psychoactive plants in southern Africa: an overview of evidence and future potential

Medicinal plant use and integration of traditional healers into health care system: A case study at Ankasa Forest Reserve and catchment communities in Ghana

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