MRS. Adeagbo and her spouse, like every  new parent, looked forward to taking their newborn home from the hospital, but that was not to be. The baby was diagnosed with neonatal jaundice, a common albeit dangerous condition.

After almost a month in the hospital on admission, mother and baby could no longer hide their stress, as doses upon does of antibiotics as well as radiation treatments failed to yield any tangible results. It was a visit from a family friend that saved the day as the latter offered a traditional remedy she has used and found to be tried and trusted.

A few hours later, the Adeagbo’s family friend surreptitiously arrived with a bottle of the natural remedy, which was furtively administered on the baby. Within two days, the condition had already cleared and the Adeagbos- who had previously turned down their noses at alternative medicine- became sold.

Alternative medicine

But Francesca, a bank executive in Lagos, had been advised to use a well known tropical plant when her asthma became too stubborn. The remedy worked, but to her amazement, she passed out and landed at the hospital. The problem? The same remedy that had relieved her asthma had also brought down her blood sugar levels, resulting in hypoglycemia, a serious condition itself.

All of a sudden, herbal medicine has become all the rage. While they had once been snubbed by the Nigerian elite as being uncivilized, they are now more widely embraced, as plant based substances such as bitter kola, moringa, aloe vera and bitterleaf have now become staples in medicine cabinets.

lipstick-Home-Remedies-for

Home Remedies for Coughs

her entire womb as a result of Chinese herbal medicine when she had fibroids.

And while there is no doubt that Africans have used leaves and foods to cure as well as prevent disease for centuries, there are no existing structures to ensure the science is passed from hand to hand and over the centuries. The result has been a distortion

Reactions range across a wide spectrum- those who swear by herbal remedy regardless of the strength of the argument against; and those who would not touch it with a ten foot pole.

During Nigeria’s short Ebola episode, bitter kola was touted a veritable cure not only in Nigeria but along the West African subregion. In actual fact however, some early stage laboratory tests in 1999, did indeed show promising signs that a compound from the plant might halt the deadly virus. The tests were widely reported. Crucially, the findings were never taken forward into more advanced tests, either on animals or humans, and no drug was ever approved for use.

The global pharmaceutical industry is a highly regulated one, and approval of a drug substance is subject to rigorous tests and counter tests with bills running into billions of dollars. Patents are closely protected, so that those who have invested heavily into research can reap fair fruit of their investment before the drug’s manufacture can be thrown open. While it is therefore unlikely that an untested drug will be approved by food and drug regulatory bodies, it does not make the substance ineffective. In any case, will people stop using alternative medicine? Not likely!

Trying herbal/traditional substances outside strict regulations means you have to do your own regulations and tests.

1. Investigate claims

Fortunately, many substances we classify as herbal remedies are already being investigated by medical laboratories around the world. Moringa, for instance, has been worked on extensively by Johns Hopkins and found effective in the control of several ailments. Go on your computer and get asking.

2. Investigate source

With all the rage about herbal medicines, it is no wonder that several charlartans are in the market claiming to have the sources of some of these substances.

Case with aloe vera

Ensure what you are being sold is exactly what you are being told, not something similar. Also ensure you are not being sold the wrong breed, as is often the case with aloe vera. Avoid buying anything in liquid or powdered form, unless you were present while it is being processed.

3. Do not combine

Do not ever combine herbal medication with orthodox medication as the two might have similar active ingredients, as in dogonyaro leaves and quinine. This might result in an overdose, with disastrous consequences. Another situation that could be disastrous is if herbal remedy is working at cross purposes with

4. Do hygienic

Many people go for herbal remedies that actually do work for them, only for them to come down with a worse ailment as a result of germs. If the herbal remedy comes already prepared, do not buy or use.

5. Test for Allergy

As with everything that enters the body, it must first be taken in small dozes in order to carefully watch for reactions, then use full on.