THE Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) has intensified search for local herbal drugs for malaria, diabetes, ulcer, sickle cell, diarrhoea, skin diseases, among other common ailments.
Director General of NNMDA, Dr. Tamuno Okujagu, in a chat with The Guardian to ahead of the African Traditional Medicine Day 2013 said the Agency is developing and facilitating observational studies for topical health challenges.
Okujagu said the Agency has screened 20 plants with anti-malarial activities for the possible development of herbal anti-malarials and is working to select three for herbal combination therapy formulation for malaria.
He added: "We facilitated the development of Artemisia annua and a Nigeria plant herbal combination therapy for malaria. Initial formulation and animal tests is in progress.
"We have screened 25 plants for anti-diabetic properties from which two are being considered for selection for formulation studies with possible development of herbal anti diabetics.
"The Agency also completed and commissioned its alternative therapy and manual manipulation research facility to aid research into massage and manual manipulation and other non-medication healing arts, science and technology."
Okujagu said as part of activities and possible contribution towards the roll back malaria programme, the Agency has developed and formulated herbal mosquito repellent cream. "This herbal mosquito repellent cream was designed and formulated to assist control the rate of malaria infections by preventing man-mosquito contact especially due to the resistance of malaria parasite to most antimalarial drugs and poor utilization of the insecticide treated mosquito net," he said.
The NNMDA boss said the advantages of this product are that: the production materials are locally sourced; it is biodegradable; it is environmental friendly; and it is 100 per cent natural.
To guarantee constant supply of raw materials and maintain quality assurance, he said the Agency in collaboration with Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna acquired 10 hectare of land part of which has been earmarked to assist the cultivation cultivate the medicinal plants for the production of the herbal mosquito repellent.
Okujagu said NNMDA has conducted preliminary ethno-medicinal survey in the six geopolitical zones of the country and ecological zones of the country with a view to developing a comprehensive national inventory of Medicinal Aromatic and Pesticidal and Plants (MAPs) of the country; to aid mapping of the nation bio-resources in this area; further research, training & learning; and facilitate sustainable availability of raw materials for the development of traditional medicine industrial sector of the economy.
He said the results have been published into books titled; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South West Vol. I; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – North Central Vol. I; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South East Vol. I; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – North East Vol. I; Biodiversity of The Sukkur World Heritage Site, Adamawa State, North East, Nigeria; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – North West Vol. I; and Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South South Vol. I.
The African Traditional Medicine Day (ATMD), August 31st of every year, has been celebrated since 2001 to bring to fore the roles, importance and challenges of Traditional Medicine (TM) in Africa. This day was declared in July 2001 during the summit of the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government held in Lusaka, Zambia. The African Union (AU) also declared 2001- 2010 the decade of African Traditional Medicine to highlight the vast potentials of TM in Africa and to encourage its further development and institutionalization in Africa's healthcare system.
The theme for this year (2013) is Traditional Medicine (TM) Research and Development with the view of advocating, promoting, awareness and enhancing the impact of TM at both regional and country levels.
Okujagu said the NNMDA is one of the institutions in Nigeria that are in the front of research, documentation and promotion of TM in Nigeria.
He said the Agency pursuing its mandate, vision and mission within the three under listed World Health Organization (WHO) model tools for institutionalizing African Traditional Medicine (ATM) in Africa's health systems.
The three WHO tools are: *promoting and conducting relevant scientific research on medicinal plants in collaboration with health practitioners to validate claims made on safety, efficacy, quality of Tradition Medicine (TM)
*ensure that intellectual property rights are priority items for individual indigenous knowledge about TM.
*build human and material resource capacity in order to carry out and accomplish institutionalization strategies.
Okujagu said: "NNMDA is involved in the collation and documentation of research works and findings on traditional medicine and medicinal, aromatic and pesticidal plants of Nigeria scattered all over the libraries of research institutes, universities, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) nationally and internationally.
"To date about 4,000 research works have been collated and published into books titled "Book of Abstract of Published Research Findings on Nigerian Medicinal Plants & Traditional Medicine Practices". There have been two publications, Volumes I & II. Containing 1,550 researches covering 1970 – date."
This, he said, is aimed at: ease of referencing reduction in research duplication; targeted further research, identification of commercializable research results; and teaching and services.
Okujagu said the Agency has with the support of Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC) also undertaken ethno medicinal survey of some dedicated areas of the country such as Osun Sacred Grove and Mambila Plateau.
He explained: "Mambila Plateau is in the southeast corner of Taraba State, Nigeria and shares border with Cameroun republic. It is a grassland plateau averaging about 1800 meters. It is a scenic, cool and pleasant place devoid of frequent heat like most northern states. The Plateau developed on basement of rocks, measuring about 96km along its curved length and 40km wide and bounded by an escarpment, which is about 900km high in some places.
"The ethnobotanical survey of medicinal, aromatic and pesticidal plants of Mambila Plateau, was conducted, one hundred and twenty (120) plants specimen used for various ailments was recorded and documented."
Okujagu said NNMDA is developing a Digital/Virtual Library. "This is a dedicated focal reference Centre for the development and promotion of traditional medical knowledge, practice and products development and promotion. This is the first in the country and perhaps the 1st of its kind in Africa. The Digital Library consul and website are constantly upgraded. Hotspots were created and are functional. The Library when completed would aid study, learning, preservation of Traditional Knowledge (TK) and promote e-commerce of the Nation's bio resources and patents in TMK," he said.
Okujagu said the Agency is developing a modern laboratory at the it's head office in Lagos to assist provide scientific and technical support in the development and promotion of traditional medicine products, facilitate research, training and promote valuation addition.
He said NNMDA is also developing a modern pilot product development unit to assist promote value addition, develop, formulate and produce pilot/sample herbal medicines, galenicals, nutraceuticals, health foods, dietary supplements based on established scientific research findings in line with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
Okujagu further stated: "To date the Agency had provided some scientific and technical support that may have assisted the listing of 18 therapies by the regulatory authorities."
He said a total of one 115 plants specimen with potentials for the treatment and management of various ailments were Identified and documented and have been recommended to the National Board for Technology Incubation for incubation and further development.
Okujagu added: "Agency as part of its activities in collaboration with stakeholder national and international has developed a draft mechanism for benefit sharing for Traditional Medicine Knowledge and Practice. This is critical element to ensure adequate benefit sharing for indigenous knowledge, genetic resources and associated traditional medicine knowledge. These draft documents have been subjected to stakeholders review and input via multi-stakeholders workshop in the geopolitical zones of the country and collated the inputs of the stakeholders to enrich the documents for finalization."
Okujagu said the Agency conducts training and interactive session covering the entire country to improve the products development skills and practices of Traditional Practitioners. "It has developed training modules in line with World Health Organization's (WHO) specification for continuing education program for TMPs. To date the Agency has conducted 32 training and interactive sessions and has trained 12,000 in the six geopolitical zones of the country. We have expanded the training modules to include the enhancement of the entrepreneurship skills of the TMPs," he said.
Okujagu said the Agency had developed a model farm in Jesse Delta State and sustained the on-going cultivation of selected commonly demanded medicinal plants in their medicinal farm at Jesse, Ethiope West Local Council in Delta State. "A similar process is expected to commence soon in Minna, Niger State in collaboration with TMPs and Federal University of Technology, Minna. These farms and others when established are expected to assist the cultivation of standardized MAPs of Nigeria and also facilitate training."
The Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) has intensified search for local herbal drugs for malaria, diabetes, ulcer, sickle cell, diarrhoea, skin diseases, among other common ailments.
Director General of NNMDA, Dr. Tamuno Okujagu, in a chat with The Guardian to ahead of the African Traditional Medicine Day 2013 said the Agency is developing and facilitating observational studies for topical health challenges.
Okujagu said the Agency has screened 20 plants with anti-malarial activities for the possible development of herbal anti-malarials and is working to select three for herbal combination therapy formulation for malaria.
He added: "We facilitated the development of Artemisia annua and a Nigeria plant herbal combination therapy for malaria. Initial formulation and animal tests is in progress.
"We have screened 25 plants for anti-diabetic properties from which two are being considered for selection for formulation studies with possible development of herbal anti diabetics.
"The Agency also completed and commissioned its alternative therapy and manual manipulation research facility to aid research into massage and manual manipulation and other non-medication healing arts, science and technology."
Okujagu said as part of activities and possible contribution towards the roll back malaria programme, the Agency has developed and formulated herbal mosquito repellent cream. "This herbal mosquito repellent cream was designed and formulated to assist control the rate of malaria infections by preventing man-mosquito contact especially due to the resistance of malaria parasite to most antimalarial drugs and poor utilization of the insecticide treated mosquito net," he said.
The NNMDA boss said the advantages of this product are that: the production materials are locally sourced; it is biodegradable; it is environmental friendly; and it is 100 per cent natural.
To guarantee constant supply of raw materials and maintain quality assurance, he said the Agency in collaboration with Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna acquired 10 hectare of land part of which has been earmarked to assist the cultivation cultivate the medicinal plants for the production of the herbal mosquito repellent.
Okujagu said NNMDA has conducted preliminary ethno-medicinal survey in the six geopolitical zones of the country and ecological zones of the country with a view to developing a comprehensive national inventory of Medicinal Aromatic and Pesticidal and Plants (MAPs) of the country; to aid mapping of the nation bio-resources in this area; further research, training & learning; and facilitate sustainable availability of raw materials for the development of traditional medicine industrial sector of the economy.
He said the results have been published into books titled; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South West Vol. I; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – North Central Vol. I; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South East Vol. I; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – North East Vol. I; Biodiversity of The Sukkur World Heritage Site, Adamawa State, North East, Nigeria; Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – North West Vol. I; and Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South South Vol. I.
The African Traditional Medicine Day (ATMD), August 31st of every year, has been celebrated since 2001 to bring to fore the roles, importance and challenges of Traditional Medicine (TM) in Africa. This day was declared in July 2001 during the summit of the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government held in Lusaka, Zambia. The African Union (AU) also declared 2001- 2010 the decade of African Traditional Medicine to highlight the vast potentials of TM in Africa and to encourage its further development and institutionalization in Africa's healthcare system.
The theme for this year (2013) is Traditional Medicine (TM) Research and Development with the view of advocating, promoting, awareness and enhancing the impact of TM at both regional and country levels.
Okujagu said the NNMDA is one of the institutions in Nigeria that are in the front of research, documentation and promotion of TM in Nigeria.
He said the Agency pursuing its mandate, vision and mission within the three under listed World Health Organization (WHO) model tools for institutionalizing African Traditional Medicine (ATM) in Africa's health systems.
The three WHO tools are: *promoting and conducting relevant scientific research on medicinal plants in collaboration with health practitioners to validate claims made on safety, efficacy, quality of Tradition Medicine (TM)
*ensure that intellectual property rights are priority items for individual indigenous knowledge about TM.
*build human and material resource capacity in order to carry out and accomplish institutionalization strategies.
Okujagu said: "NNMDA is involved in the collation and documentation of research works and findings on traditional medicine and medicinal, aromatic and pesticidal plants of Nigeria scattered all over the libraries of research institutes, universities, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) nationally and internationally.
"To date about 4,000 research works have been collated and published into books titled "Book of Abstract of Published Research Findings on Nigerian Medicinal Plants & Traditional Medicine Practices". There have been two publications, Volumes I & II. Containing 1,550 researches covering 1970 – date."
This, he said, is aimed at: ease of referencing reduction in research duplication; targeted further research, identification of commercializable research results; and teaching and services.
Okujagu said the Agency has with the support of Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC) also undertaken ethno medicinal survey of some dedicated areas of the country such as Osun Sacred Grove and Mambila Plateau.
He explained: "Mambila Plateau is in the southeast corner of Taraba State, Nigeria and shares border with Cameroun republic. It is a grassland plateau averaging about 1800 meters. It is a scenic, cool and pleasant place devoid of frequent heat like most northern states. The Plateau developed on basement of rocks, measuring about 96km along its curved length and 40km wide and bounded by an escarpment, which is about 900km high in some places.
"The ethnobotanical survey of medicinal, aromatic and pesticidal plants of Mambila Plateau, was conducted, one hundred and twenty (120) plants specimen used for various ailments was recorded and documented."
Okujagu said NNMDA is developing a Digital/Virtual Library. "This is a dedicated focal reference Centre for the development and promotion of traditional medical knowledge, practice and products development and promotion. This is the first in the country and perhaps the 1st of its kind in Africa. The Digital Library consul and website are constantly upgraded. Hotspots were created and are functional. The Library when completed would aid study, learning, preservation of Traditional Knowledge (TK) and promote e-commerce of the Nation's bio resources and patents in TMK," he said.
Okujagu said the Agency is developing a modern laboratory at the it's head office in Lagos to assist provide scientific and technical support in the development and promotion of traditional medicine products, facilitate research, training and promote valuation addition.
He said NNMDA is also developing a modern pilot product development unit to assist promote value addition, develop, formulate and produce pilot/sample herbal medicines, galenicals, nutraceuticals, health foods, dietary supplements based on established scientific research findings in line with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
Okujagu further stated: "To date the Agency had provided some scientific and technical support that may have assisted the listing of 18 therapies by the regulatory authorities."
He said a total of one 115 plants specimen with potentials for the treatment and management of various ailments were Identified and documented and have been recommended to the National Board for Technology Incubation for incubation and further development.
Okujagu added: "Agency as part of its activities in collaboration with stakeholder national and international has developed a draft mechanism for benefit sharing for Traditional Medicine Knowledge and Practice. This is critical element to ensure adequate benefit sharing for indigenous knowledge, genetic resources and associated traditional medicine knowledge. These draft documents have been subjected to stakeholders review and input via multi-stakeholders workshop in the geopolitical zones of the country and collated the inputs of the stakeholders to enrich the documents for finalization."
Okujagu said the Agency conducts training and interactive session covering the entire country to improve the products development skills and practices of Traditional Practitioners. "It has developed training modules in line with World Health Organization's (WHO) specification for continuing education program for TMPs. To date the Agency has conducted 32 training and interactive sessions and has trained 12,000 in the six geopolitical zones of the country. We have expanded the training modules to include the enhancement of the entrepreneurship skills of the TMPs," he said.
Okujagu said the Agency had developed a model farm in Jesse Delta State and sustained the on-going cultivation of selected commonly demanded medicinal plants in their medicinal farm at Jesse, Ethiope West Local Council in Delta State. "A similar process is expected to commence soon in Minna, Niger State in collaboration with TMPs and Federal University of Technology, Minna. These farms and others when established are expected to assist the cultivation of standardized MAPs of Nigeria and also facilitate training."
