Herbal medicine practitioners urged to collaborate with scientists for scientific validation

Herbal medicine practitioners have been urged to collaborate with research scientists to ensure the rigorous scientific validation of herbal medicines, which is critical for their national and international acceptance.

  
 That collaboration was vital because the lack of scientific research and clinical studies had hindered the widespread acceptance of herbal medicines by mainstream medical practitioners.

 
Professor Regina Appiah-Opong, Head of Clinical Pathology at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, made the call during an inaugural lecture hosted by the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.

  
The lecture, titled “Medicinal Plants: A Rich Natural Resource of Ghana to be Harnessed for National Development,” focused on the potential of Ghana’s rich biodiversity and plant medicines in providing alternative treatments for both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

 
Prof. Appiah-Oppong emphasized the importance of plant-based medicines in complementing orthodox medical treatments and the need for comprehensive research to validate their efficacy and safety.

  
She also highlighted the need for intensified advocacy for the passage of the Alternative Medicine Bill, which would facilitate the integration of herbal medicine into the formal healthcare system.

 
Prof. Appiah-Opong, a renowned expert in Molecular Toxicology, emphasized the need for significant investment in research and development in plant medicine.

  
 She argued that this investment is essential to expand production and enhance the competitiveness of herbal medicines in the global market.

 
 Prof. Appiah-Opong stressed the importance of properly documenting and preserving indigenous knowledge on herbal medicines.

  
 This, she said, would ensure that valuable traditional practices and remedies are safeguarded for future generations, while also supporting the growth of the herbal medicine sector.

 
“Ghana must adopt important strategies through the use of e-commerce to conserve medicinal plants and harness them for revenue and national development,” she added.

 
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 88 percent of countries globally utilize traditional medicines, including plant-based remedies.

  
In China, plant medicines represent a significant portion of the healthcare system, accounting for approximately 30 to 50 percent of total drug consumption. 

The trade in raw medicinal plants holds considerable economic value for Africa, with South Africa’s market for such plants estimated at $165 million annually. 

In Ghana, the herbal medicine market is also robust, with about 951 metric tonnes of crude herbal medicines, valued at an estimated $7.8 million, traded in 2010 alone.

 
Prof. Appiah-Opong urged African leaders to make strategic investments in the herbal medicine industry to enhance its efficiency and ensure it could compete on a global scale.

 
She emphasized the importance of government leadership in promoting the cultivation of medicinal plants and cautioned against the detrimental effects of unchecked deforestation, which threatened biodiversity.

 
She further called on the government and relevant stakeholders to invest in large-scale medicinal plant plantations, noting that such initiatives would not only support the growth of the herbal medicine sector but also create job opportunities for local communities.