A Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Ibadan, Professor Oluwatosin Adekunle Adaramoye has advised that the deliberate intake of herbs as a proactive approach to lifestyle, will prevent diseases, improve health, enhance the quality of life and sense of well-being.
He gave the advice while delivering the 530th inaugural lecture of the University of Ibadan on behalf of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences.
The lecture was entitled “Herbs and Wellness: Memoirs of a Xenobiochemist”
Professor Adaramoye submitted that herbs may provide a solid foundation for wellness and, in turn, help to prevent and overcome diseases, both at present and in the future.
The inaugural Lecturer identified such herbs as ginger, red yeast rice, garcina kola seeds, turmeric, jasmine, and African Guinea pepper, as medicinal plants that contain substances that can be used for therapeutic purposes or as precursors for the synthesis of other drugs.
Having worked extensively with herbs, Professor Adaramoye submitted that the contribution of herbs to disease treatment and prevention is enormous.
He said he examined the relationship between herbs, cancer, and inflammation and found out that about 60% of currently used anti-cancer agents are derived in one way or other from natural resources, including plants, marine organisms and micro-organisms.
According to him, many plant-derived compounds have been isolated so far and are currently under clinical trials.
He, however, cautioned that there are some drawbacks that include the presence of certain toxic or potentially carcinogenic agents in some herbs adding that these drawbacks call for detailed and proper research to identify the bioactive components and their specific functions in herbs.
Professor Adaramoye advised that accessibility to the right equipment remains crucial and called for the reintroduction of the Senate Research Grant as well as an enabling environment where competitive grants, uninterrupted power supply and well-equipped laboratories are readily available to promote research.
