Nigerian researchers have identified local malaria therapy- containing extracts of dogonyaro, mango, guava, pawpaw, banana, lime and lemon grass- used by the Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo communities. CHUKWUMA MUANYA writes.THE rains are here again! They are associated with increased episodes of malaria. However, nature has made provision for the treatment of malaria in local plants.A survey of plants commonly used amongst the three major ethnic groups (Ibo, Hausa and Yoruba) in Nigeria for malaria therapy identified neem/dogonyaro (Azadiratcha indica), mango (Magnifera indica), lemon grass (Cymbopoggen citratus), guava (Psidium guajava), pawpaw (Carica papaya), lime (Citrus limon), and banana (Musa sapientum).The survey by researchers at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos State also showed that in addition to the plants commonly used by the three Nigerian major tribes for malaria therapy, Guiera senegalensis and Artemisia maciverae are more common with the Hausa tribe in treating malaria.According to the survey published in Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), maize (Zea mays) and cashew are commonly used by the Yoruba tribe in malaria therapy, while the Ibo ethnic group in addition to the plants commonly used by the other two major tribes for malaria therapy use bitter leaf. Leaves and the stem bark are commonly used for malaria therapy; only in few cases roots are used.The researchers obtained information on the preparation, dosage forms, administration, effectiveness and possible side effects of the plant preparations in treating malaria by interviewing herbalists from the three Nigerian major tribes. They wrote: The common dosage form is liquid administered orally. For higher efficacy, decoction of two or more plants is administered. In some of the preparations, red potash, pineapple, lemon, local gin and honey may be added. In some cases, the possible side effects are frequent urinating, vomiting, sweating and loss of body weight.According to the researchers, the herbalists use different additives and solvents in preparing their formulations, depending on dosage formulations. They explained: Some of the additives in traditional formulations may exert therapeutic activity in addition to being used as adjutants. For example, the antibacterial and antifungal properties of honey is well documented, with the inhibition of growth of organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Honey has been shown to be of great value in treating infected surgical wounds. Hence, the use of honey in traditional formulations for treating malaria might in addition to exerting synergistic effect, also have a direct therapeutic effect on many other concurrent diseases.The pattern of traditional prescriptions revealed that about three quarter of the prescriptions contained composite remedies. Traditional healers claimed that the use of multiple plants has a synergetic effect. The properties of the constituents of composite remedies could be different from those of the mixtures considered as a whole.Are there scientific backings to this malaria therapy Before now, numerous studies have investigated the antimalarial activities of neem tree. The leaf extract appears to have antiretroviral activity and there are efforts underway to use water extract of the leaf to develop new drug thrapies. The plant leaves contain the lemonoid gedunum, which has demonstrated activity against two clones of Plasmodium falciparum (caisative agent of malaria) and in laboratory analysis appeared to be as effective as chloroquine. In addition to viewing the properties of neem tree as candidates for treating malaria, the oil from this plant has been shown to have insecticidal and insect repellant properties.A consultant pharmacognocist at the University of Lagos, Prof. Olukemi Odukoya, told The Guardian: Neem tree (Azadirachta indica of Meliaceae family) is also used for drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria. The antimalarial activity of neem tree is due to theactive constituents (Gedunin also a lactone) ability to induce oxidant stress in erythrocytes during malaria treatment; this redox perturbation leads to the death ofthe parasite in erythrocytes.Researchers have assessed extracts from the leaves and root bark of Vernonia amygdalina for antimalarial activity against drug-sensitive Plasmodium berghei in mice. According to the study published in the British Journal of Biomedical Science, a standard inoculum of infected erythrocytes was used, and leaf and root-bark extracts of 500 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg or 125 mg/kg are used in a four-day suppression test and a Rane test of established infection. Leaf extract produced 67 per cent suppression of parasitaemia in the four-day test, while root-bark extract produced 53.5 per cent suppression. These results are significant when compared to a placebo.Researchers have conducted phytochemical screening and antioxidant activities of some selected medicinal plants- pawpaw, mango, guava, and bitter- used for malaria therapy in southwestern Nigeria.The study was published in Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Oxidative stress has been shown to play an important role in the development of anaemia in malaria. Indeed, increase in total antioxidant status has been shown to be important in recovery from malaria.The ethanolic extracts of the leaves of pawpaw, stem bark of mango, leaves of guava and the leaves of bitter leaf, were used in the present study. The plant parts commonly used in the locality in malaria therapy were employed in this study.All the plants showed potent inhibition of DPPH radical scavenging activity, guava being the most potent.The free radical scavenging (antioxidant) activities of these plants probably contribute to the effectiveness of the above plants in malaria therapy.A study on antiplasmodial activity of seven plants used in African folk medicine published in Indian Journal of Pharmacology shows that lemon grass possess great inhibition in the growth of drug-resistant malaria parasite.Earlier studies had found lemon grass oil to be anti-microbial, particular against gram positive bacteria and fungi. Lemon grass oil had also been found to be pain killing, central nervous system depressing, fever reducing, aids digestion and anti-oxidant.To treat typhoid, researchers recommend that lemon grass leaf or is boiled in two litres of water for 30 - 40 minutes with 25 whole limes, two grape fruits, two unripe papaw fruits, and two unripe pineapples, cut garlic and the bark of Alstonia boonei (alstonia, cheesewood, pattern wood or stool wood in English; egbu in Igbo; and awun in Yoruba). However, to make an infusion for malaria, pour a cup of boiling water over the lemon grass, let it stand for five minutes, strain it, and drink it.
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