Traditional
medicine, mostly derived from herbs, has been the source of cure for many
ailments that afflict communities in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa; a scenario
that is prevalent in most developing countries across the globe. However, the
advent of colonialism and the subsequent introduction of ‘modern medicine’
exposed traditional healers to ridicule and stiff competition, as their medicine
was considered unscientific and themselves backward.
This
has been the trend in Kenya for over a century since the introduction of Western
medicine and hospitals. Despite the onslaught from conventional medicine,
however, traditional healers never abandoned their practice en masse. Knowledge,
which has always been passed from one generation to another and kept as a family
secret, thrived on. And now, what was once bequeathed to posterity by
forefathers has recently found application with the unprecedented resurgence of
interest in herbal cures.
Filling
the Void
The
increase in AIDS-related ailments and the high cost of medicine sourced from
multinational firms has played a pivotal role in bringing about this new focus
on herbal medicine.
The
Kenyan government, like most governments in developing countries, is unable to
provide life-prolonging AIDS drugs to the more than two million AIDS patients in
the country. Further still, the anti-retrovirals available cost a dollar per
day, far beyond the incomes of most AIDS sufferers, who live on less than a
dollar a day. Local scientists have therefore been compelled to explore
traditional knowledge and conduct scientific research on medicinal plants.
A
Renaissance
Perhaps
taking the cue from herbal medicine practitioners, the government in its bid to
stem off the AIDS scourge, estimated to be decimating the population at the rate
of 700 people a day, is encouraging research on possible herbal cures that can
counter the diseases.
Currently
it is funding a three-year research project on alternative medicine through the
Kenya Forestry Research Institute, KEFRI, in conjunction with the Kenya National
AIDS Control Council-KNACC and other stakeholders. There is a variety of
medicinal plants which local researchers believe offer remedies for various
ailments, but emphasis is being placed on a recently identified local herb that
can be used in the clinical management of HIV/AIDS.
The
herb’s efficacy was realized in the first institutional study carried out by
Moi University in Eldoret, Western Kenya, by researchers in collaboration with a
renowned herbalist in the region, Job Keitany. The herb was patented last year
by the World Intellectual Service Office in Geneva to save it from privateers
who may wish to profit from it. Keitany told participants in an International
Congress on Health and Herbal Medicine held in Nairobi early this year that the
drug’s name will remain secret until all the paper work is finished.
Moi
University’s Dr. Paul Kiptoon and Dr. Simon Mining, the head of the Immunology
Department, led the study.
Raising
Eyebrows
The increase in AIDS-related ailments and the high cost of medicine has encouraged a new focus on herbal medicine
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The
herb has attracted attention in Nairobi and the second phase will involve top
HIV researcher in East Africa, Professor George N. Lule.
This
is the first major study on a herbal drug and its aim is to determine the
effects of a selected herb in the clinical management of seropositive patients.
So far, 20 patients of the 300 treated with the herbal drug have been reviewed.
“Before
treatment, seven patients were in poor clinical state. Of these, six changed to
good clinical state after treatment giving approximately 86 per cent
improvement,” says the study.
“Only
one patient did not improve clinically after treatment but has shown dramatic
CD4 T- cell count increase,” the study continues.
The
study conducted in the western Kenyan town of Eldoret, is set to enter the next
phase, which will involve follow-up of the patients who have completed treatment
to determine their long-term outcome; an activity that will incorporate other
researchers at the University of Nairobi, where a large group of volunteers will
be involved.
“The
dramatic increment in CD4 cell count in nearly 100 percent of the patients
strongly suggests that the herbal medicine is very effective in restoring
patients’ immunity in HIV/AIDS infections. The fact that those changes are
highly significant confirms this position,” says the study. No conclusive
findings have been made on its side effects.
A
Ray of Optimism
Kenya’s
Health Minister Charity Ngilu says that the herb will help in the fight against
the AIDS scourge. She says given that 95 percent of new HIV infections are
occurring in developing countries with 70 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa alone,
the use of the herb is welcome.
It
has also emerged that 80 percent of the population in Africa depend on herbal
medicine, which calls for more efforts in the research of the herbal medicine.
“We need an urgent solution to the HIV/AIDS scourge since HIV infection is
continuing despite preventive measures, which clearly indicate the big gap
existing between knowledge and behavioral change,” says Ngilu.
The
number of HIV positive people in Kenya is expected to increase from 2.2 million
to 2.6 million by the year 2005.
The
cumulative AIDS deaths are also expected to rise from 1.5 million to 2.6
million. At the same time, AIDS orphans will rise from 900,000 to 1.5 million by
the same year.
Herbs
Could Be the Answer
Ngilu
argues that since the majority (70 percent) of new HIV infections in the world
continue to occur in Africa, there is a need for special efforts to support the
development of an HIV vaccine/cure relevant to Africans in the shortest possible
period.
“The
solution to AIDS lies in the herbs. What we need is political support for the
success of any HIV vaccine development,” says Ngilu.
She
says that the government can do this by providing an enabling environment for
researchers, their collaborators and funding agencies as they pursue a cure for
AIDS. Further research and proper regulation is vital as unregulated or
inappropriate use of herbal medicine can have side effects on patients.
Her
opinion was buttressed by an announcement made by traditional healers attending
an International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Africa,
ICASA, held in Nairobi in September 2003 that a group of traditional healers in
Senegal have developed a drug for the treatment of AIDS-related opportunistic
diseases, called Metraf-AIDS, in collaboration with Prometra International, an
international organization involved in the research and manufacture of herbal
cures.
Speaking
at the ICASA conference, Mr. Ercik Gbdodossu of Prometra said his organization
endeavors to supply it to the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Accessible
Alternative
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The neem tree has both pesticidal and medicinal properties
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In
Kenya, traditional medicine practice is deeply rooted and widespread, more so in
rural areas. Many plants are used due to their efficacy on various ailments.
According to Dr. Anthony Mwongo, a Kenyan who is also the chairman of the
Eastern and Central Africa Herbalists Association, 10 prime medicinal plants are
being used in the country for treatment and management of over 100 diseases
including HIV/AIDS-related infections.
For
instance, the use of the neem tree, Azadirachta indica, and Aloe Vera,
which have adapted themselves to all ecological zones of the country, is a
common phenomenon.
Owing
to their widespread use, organizations involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in
the country are also promoting their utilization. For instance, the German
Development Agency, GTZ, under its Multisectoral Initiative on fighting the AIDS
scourge in the country has been sensitizing the public to their medicinal value
and sustainable usage.
The
neem known in Swahili as Mwarobaini, loosely translated to “a cure for
40 ailments”, is an evergreen tropical plant, which originated from India, but
grows in all parts of Kenya and almost everywhere in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The
neem tree has both pesticidal and medicinal properties. It has
immuno-stimulating properties for both lymphocytic and cell mediated immune
systems.
According
to the findings of the Nairobi based Kenya Neem Foundation and Makini Herbs and
Research Centre, who are leading providers of alternative medicine in East
Africa, ingesting small quantities of neem leaf or bark powder every other day
or drinking neem tea will enhance antibody production and the body’s
cell-mediated immune response, thus helping to prevent opportunistic infections
among AIDS patients.
High
Potency
Kenya
has almost two million people living with AIDS. It is no wonder therefore that
organizations of people living with AIDS are championing the use of neem
products to ensure that their members (a large number of them being widows) earn
a living by selling these products. They also endeavor to ensure that members
have access to affordable therapies for opportunistic diseases.
Most
of these organizations are involved in the production of neem oil, soaps,
toothbrushes and other products.
These
products are used in the cure of opportunistic diseases that afflict people
living with AIDS.
Research
carried out by the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICIPE)
indicates that the application of a cream containing neem oil reduces
inflammation of the skin. In fact, the organization is already producing neem
cream at its Nairobi headquarters for treatment of bacterial and fungal skin
ailments.
On
High Demand
On
the other hand, Aloe Vera, which is turning into a global money-spinner, grows
wild in many parts of Kenya. Valued the world over for its natural healing
abilities, as a food supplement and in the cosmetic industry, the plant is
attracting a lot of attention.
Its
over 50 species have adapted themselves in Kenya’s arid and semi arid regions.
Aloe
is listed under the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species
(CITES) for protection.
Kenya
being an agricultural-based economy, regulated farming and export of Aloe Vera
could boost the economy. The challenge is protecting it from over exploitation.
A
Food Supplement
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Aloe vera is credited for rejuvenating weary nerves and cells and buttressing the immune system against a wide array of diseases
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According
to Herbal International, a South African based organization which manufacturers
aloe products for both nutritional and medicinal purposes, food supplements
produced from Aloe Vera are credited for rejuvenating weary nerves and cells,
cleansing impurities resulting from body metabolism, and buttressing the immune
system against a wide array of diseases. It is thus claimed to be ideal for AIDS
sufferers.
Herbal
International manufactures Aloe products for use in the treatment of various
skin conditions from insect bites, sunburn, acne, boil and fungal attacks. These
products are sold all over Southern and Eastern Africa.
Other
roles of the Aloe Vera identified by Herbal International and other stakeholders
involved in identifying the nutritional and curative abilities include:
Stimulation:
It stimulates the renewal and growth of new tissues at the cellular level and
accelerates the healing process.
Detoxification:
Cleanses and detoxifies the digestive system, boosting the body’s immune
system and healing abilities.
Anti-inflammatory:
Natural treatment for swellings and tissue injuries.
Nutrition:
Contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals that are vital to various
functions of the body.
Kenya
is a substantial supplier of the global Aloe trade but little is understood
about the extent of its contribution value. With the rise in global demand,
suppliers of the raw material continue to scour the length and the breadth of
country to look for the naturally growing Aloe.
Sources:
