The role and place of medicinal plants in the strategies for disease prevention

Medicinal plants have been used in healthcare since time immemorial. Studies have been carried out globally to verify their efficacy and some of the findings have led to the production of plant-based medicines. The global market value of medicinal plant products exceeds $100 billion per annum. This paper discusses the role, contributions and usefulness of medicinal plants in tackling the diseases of public health importance, with particular emphasis on the current strategic approaches to disease prevention. A comparison is drawn between the ‘whole population’ and ‘high-risk’ strategies. The usefulness of the common-factor approach as a method of engaging other health promoters in propagating the ideals of medicinal plants is highlighted. The place of medicinal plants in preventing common diseases is further examined under the five core principles of the Primary Health Care (PHC) approach. Medicinal plants play vital roles in disease prevention and their promotion and use fit into all existing prevention strategies. However, conscious efforts need to be made to properly identify, recognise and position medicinal plants in the design and implementation of these strategies. These approaches present interesting and emerging perspectives in the field of medicinal plants. Recommendations are proposed for strategising the future role and place for medicinal plants in disease prevention.Keywords: Medicinal Plants, Prevention, Strategy, Primary Health Car

The first six month growth and illness of exclusively and non-exclusively breast-fed infants in Nigeria

Objective: To compare the growth and illness pattern of infants who were exclusively breast fed for six months with those of infants commenced on complementary feeding before the age of six months and ascertain reasons for the early introduction of complementary feeding. Design: A comparative prospective study. Setting: Urban Comprehensive Health Centre (UCHC), Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, lle-lfe. Subjects: Three hundred and fifty-two mothers and their normal birth weight babies, weighing 2.500kg or more, and aged less than 14 days were serially recruited into the study. Main outcome measures: Mean/median monthly weights in the first six months of life, history/outpatient presentation for illnesses. Results: Of the 352 mother-infant pairs recruited into the study, 345 (98%) were successfully followed up for the first six months of life. At six months, 264 (76.5%) were exclusively breast-fed, 45 (13.1%) were started on complementary feeding, between the ages of four and six months while 36 (10.4%) commenced complementary feeding before the age of four months. Infants who were exclusively breast-fed for six months had median weights above the 50th percentiles of the WHO/NCHS reference that is currently used in the national "road to health" (growth monitoring) cards. Furthermore, the mean weight of these babies at age six months was above those of babies who started complementary foods before six months. They also reported fewer symptoms and had fewer illness episodes (0.l episodes per child) compared to those who started complementary feeding before six months. Infants who commenced complementary feeding before four months reported more symptoms and had more illness episodes (1.4 episodes per child) compared to those that commenced complementary feeding between four and six months (1.2 episodes per child). Common symptoms/illnesses seen or reported during the study among the groups were fever, diarrhoea and cough. Reasons given for early introduction of complementary foods include insufficient breast milk, thirst and convenience. Conclusion: It is concluded that exclusive breast-feeding supported adequate growth during the first six months of life for most of the infants studied. Early introduction of complementary foods did not provide any advantages in terms of weight gain in our environment, it was frequently associated with illness episodes and growth faltering. Many mothers however require support, encouragement and access to health care providers to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of life. East African Medical Journal Vol. 81 No. 3 March 2004: 146-15

THE ROLE AND PLACE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE STRATEGIES FOR DISEASE PREVENTION

Medicinal plants have been used in healthcare since time immemorial. Studies have been carried out globally to verify their efficacy and some of the findings have led to the production of plant-based medicines. The global market value of medicinal plant products exceeds $100 billion per annum. This paper discusses the role, contributions and usefulness of medicinal plants in tackling the diseases of public health importance, with particular emphasis on the current strategic approaches to disease prevention. A comparison is drawn between the ‘whole population’ and ‘high-risk’ strategies. The usefulness of the common-factor approach as a method of engaging other health promoters in propagating the ideals of medicinal plants is highlighted. The place of medicinal plants in preventing common diseases is further examined under the five core principles of the Primary Health Care (PHC) approach. Medicinal plants play vital roles in disease prevention and their promotion and use fit into all existing prevention strategies. However, conscious efforts need to be made to properly identify, recognise and position medicinal plants in the design and implementation of these strategies. These approaches present interesting and emerging perspectives in the field of medicinal plants. Recommendations are proposed for strategising the future role and place for medicinal plants in disease prevention

Male involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness for emergency obstetric referrals in rural Uganda

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Every pregnant woman faces risk of life-threatening obstetric complications. A birth-preparedness package promotes active preparation and assists in decision-making for healthcare seeking in case of such complications. The aim was to assess factors associated with birth preparedness and complication-readiness as well as the level of male participation in the birth plan among emergency obstetric referrals in rural Uganda.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Kabale regional hospital maternity ward among 140 women admitted as emergency obstetric referrals in antenatal, labor or the postpartum period. Data was collected on socio-demographics and birth preparedness and what roles spouses were involved in during developing the birth plan. Any woman who attended antenatal care at least 4 times, received health education on pregnancy and childbirth danger signs, saved money for emergencies, made a plan of where to deliver from and made preparations for a birth companion, was deemed as having made a birth plan. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze factors that were independently associated with having a birth plan.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean age was 26.8 ± 6.6 years, while mean age of the spouse was 32.8 ± 8.3 years. Over 100 (73.8%) women and 75 (55.2%) of their spouses had no formal education or only primary level of education respectively. On multivariable analysis, Primigravidae compared to multigravidae, OR 1.8 95%CI (1.0-3.0), education level of spouse of secondary or higher versus primary level or none, OR 3.8 95%CI (1.2-11.0), formal occupation versus informal occupation of spouse, OR 1.6 95%CI (1.1-2.5), presence of pregnancy complications OR 1.4 95%CI (1.1-2.0) and the anticipated mode of delivery of caesarean section versus vaginal delivery, OR 1.6 95%CI (1.0-2.4) were associated with having a birth plan.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Individual women, families and communities need to be empowered to contribute positively to making pregnancy safer by making a birth plan.</p

The use of plants in the traditional management of diabetes in Nigeria: Pharmacological and toxicological considerations

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The prevalence of diabetes is on a steady increase worldwide and it is now identified as one of the main threats to human health in the 21st century. In Nigeria, the use of herbal medicine alone or alongside prescription drugs for its management is quite common. We hereby carry out a review of medicinal plants traditionally used for diabetes management in Nigeria. Based on the available evidence on the species׳ pharmacology and safety, we highlight ways in which their therapeutic potential can be properly harnessed for possible integration into the country׳s healthcare system. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical information was obtained from a literature search of electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Pubmed and Scopus up to 2013 for publications on medicinal plants used in diabetes management, in which the place of use and/or sample collection was identified as Nigeria. ‘Diabetes’ and ‘Nigeria’ were used as keywords for the primary searches; and then ‘Plant name – accepted or synonyms’, ‘Constituents’, ‘Drug interaction’ and/or ‘Toxicity’ for the secondary searches. Results: The hypoglycemic effect of over a hundred out of the 115 plants reviewed in this paper is backed by preclinical experimental evidence, either in vivo or in vitro. One-third of the plants have been studied for their mechanism of action, while isolation of the bioactive constituent(s) has been accomplished for twenty three plants. Some plants showed specific organ toxicity, mostly nephrotoxic or hepatotoxic, with direct effects on the levels of some liver function enzymes. Twenty eight plants have been identified as in vitro modulators of P-glycoprotein and/or one or more of the cytochrome P450 enzymes, while eleven plants altered the levels of phase 2 metabolic enzymes, chiefly glutathione, with the potential to alter the pharmacokinetics of co-administered drugs. Conclusion: This review, therefore, provides a useful resource to enable a thorough assessment of the profile of plants used in diabetes management so as to ensure a more rational use. By anticipating potential toxicities or possible herb–drug interactions, significant risks which would otherwise represent a burden on the country׳s healthcare system can be avoided

Wound healing with plants: the African perspective

A conference paper on medicinal herbs of Africa.A vast range of aspects have been covered already on wounds. These include: definitions (Ellis and Caine 1977), types, extent (Macfarlane and Thomas 1972), the socio-economic implication and the comfort, well being, ambulation as well as restoration of the function of wound sites. There is similarly a good coverage in the scientific press on wound healing including the historical (Fish and Owen Dawson 1967). medical and clinical aspects, the complications of wounds (Macfarlane and Thomas 1972), chemical substances responsible for and factors influencing wound healing (Macfarlane and Thomas 1972: Fish and Owen Dawson 1967; Elliot 1994; Schilling 1968; Douglas 1963). A brief discussion of the aspects already covered is presented here with a view to familiarizing the reader with the subject matter. Emphasis will be placed on wound healing agents (WHAs) some of which are either natural, synthetic or derived products which can be sourced from plants or plant products. A list of such plants used for wound healing in Africa including the families, active morphological parts, their specific roles (modes/mechanism of their action), isolated active chemical components responsible for wound healing activity as well as their structure-activity relationships (SAR) where known will be discussed

Determinants of neonatal mortality at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Nigeria

No Abstract. Nigerian Journal of Medicine Vol. 15(3) July-September 2006: 271-27