Herbal medicines can cure many diseases, My take

Several concerns have been raised by numerous individuals about the claim that one herbal medicinal product can treat several diseases or conditions. The most recent and notable of these concerns was a news item on a famous television outlet in the country. The news item was headlined, “Medicines can cure several diseases” and was basically addressing the claim that one herbal medicinal product can treat several disease conditions The views of the registrar of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council who is a licensed pharmacist and that of the president of Ghana Association of Medical Herbalists, were taken concerning the subject matter.

The registrar, Torgbuiga Yaka IV, was quick to mention and emphatically so, that the argument that one herbal medicinal product cannot treat multiple disease conditions is completely ignorant.

I concur with this submission absolutely; one herbal medicinal product can treat multiple disease conditions.

The purpose of this piece is therefore to provide a general understanding of the validity of the claim; one herbal medicine can treat multiple disease conditions.

A number of herbal products available on markets across the globe are indicated for the treatment of several ailments. In Ghana, hearing this claim that one herbal medicine can treat multiple disease conditions is not uncommon and can get annoying sometimes.

This situation is usually because the people one may come across preaching this message do not seem to sound scientific in their presentations and submissions. They are usually peddlers (lay persons who have taken on the sale of herbal medicines to make ends meet) on buses and in the marketplace. These groups of individuals have usually purely engaged in business in making this claim.

It is a similar situation for some herbal medicines advertised on the various radio and television outlets across the country. However, this is not to imply that the claim made by these individuals is false.

The universal role of plants is exemplified by their employment in all major systems of medicine irrespective of the philosophical premise. Recently, herbal medicines have seen an increase in attention and demand. The interest in plants especially those of medicinal values has resulted in scientific investigation into how these plants exert their therapeutic effects.

Theoretically, plants are a biosynthetic laboratory for chemical compounds. Thus, plants produce so many chemicals for different purposes during their life processes ranging from primary metabolites including carbohydrates and proteins, to secondary metabolites such as tannins, alkaloids, glycosides and flavonoids. These compounds are responsible for the pharmacological activities of the various plants which may either be beneficial or detrimental to the health of man. In other words, these different compounds which are often of great complexity, tend to buffer, regulate and qualify the effects of any medicinal plant.

The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) defines herbal medicines as; “herbs, herbal materials, herbal preparations and finished herbal products, that contain as active ingredients parts of plants, or other plant materials, or combinations”.

By this definition, no herbal medicine contains just a compound. In any case, formulations which contain an isolated plant constituent(s) are rarely considered as herbal medicines despite the fact that they are obtained from plant sources. Examples include pharmaceuticals containing the Vinca alkaloids (vinblastine and vincristine), caffeine, quinine, artemisinin, and aspirin, just to mention a few.

Having come this far, the rationality of the claim that one herbal medicine can treat several diseases is primarily based on the reality that one herbal medicine is a household of several therapeutic agents. For example, one herbal medicine rich in vitamin C and Iron can correct a case of iron deficiency anaemia. That same herbal medicine can serve as a purgative as long as it contains some form of anthraquinones; a chemical compound known for this effect.

Also, if that same herbal medicine is rich in antioxidants, then of course, this same medicine can be used to control or remove free radicals or reactive oxidative species (R.O.S.) in the body and in effect preventing a whole list of diseases caused by reactive oxidative species.

This phenomenon is typically illustrated by the multiple therapeutic activities of Xylopia fruits. Xylopia consists of the dried mature fruits of Xylopia aethiopica. In Ghana, this fruit is referred to as “hwenteaa” in Twi, “so” in Ga, “tsuo” in Ewe, and “kimba” in Hausa. Several chemical constituents including volatile oils, oleoresins and minerals such as copper, manganese, and zinc, have been found present in the fruit.

Xylopia has effectively been used as a carminative (a remedy used to facilitate expulsion of gas from the alimentary tract), a broad – spectrum antibiotic and as an additive to other remedies including antitussives (remedies used to suppress or relieve cough). The carminative action of Xylopia has been found to be associated with it rich content of volatile oils. Extracts of the fruit have also been shown to be active against gram positive and negative bacteria. In another study, the compound, xylopic acid has been isolated from the Xylopia fruit, and this compound has demonstrated activity against Candida albicans – the causative organism of candidiasis.

In conclusion, it is absolutely true that one herbal medicine can treat multiple disease conditions. Let us not forget that, even acetaminophen (commonly known as paracetamol) treats more than one condition. Thus, it is used as an analgesic (to treat pain) and also as an antipyretic agent (to treat fever, i.e. a rise in temperature of the body above 38 C).

Furthermore aspirin in varying doses are used as a pain reliever and also an anticoagulant for hypertensives.

The harm is not in one herbal medicinal product treating several diseases rather the harm is in not getting the right herbal medicinal product or risking acquiring from inappropriate outlets.

This article does not in any way guarantee that all herbal medicinal products on the Ghanaian market are efficacious for what they have been indicated for.

Writers

H/ Dr. Delali Fiagbe
Consultant, Deljay Phyto-World
([email protected])

H/ Dr. Maxwell Owusu
President, Herbal Foundation of Ghana
([email protected])