Nigerian herb shows promise in diabetes management
From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja
A LOCAL herbal medicament with great potentials in the management of diabetes was unveiled in Abuja yesterday.
The man at the centre of it all, Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson is a researcher into medicinal herbs.
The drug, called ADI, according to experts, presents a major landmark in the global search for safer alternative medicament for the treatment of diabetes.
Nelson is the patent owner of AD1, a herbal anti-diabetic phytopharmaceutical.
To begin the commercial production of the drug said to be the first of its kind in the herbal world, Dr. Nelson has entered into agreement with a United States based company GDPAU.
The pact involves signing of a licensing agreement to commercialize the medicament for treatment of diabetes. With the agreement now in place, once the final clinical texts of the drug are concluded the drug would be produced in Nigeria, and distributed across the world.
The drug is said to have gotten the initial nods of the World Health Organization (WHO), and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC). The final licence is to be issued, according to the promoters of the drug, when the final rounds of clinical trials are concluded.
Senate President, David Mark and the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, described the development of the medicament as a major landmark for Nigerian herbalists who have researching into the use of local herbs to cure ailments that have defied orthodox drugs.
The Senate President, represented by the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Gyang Dantong, described the development of the drug as a success story.
He said, "This is a day that Nigerians should be proud of themselves. We are moving ahead in pharmaceuticals."
He charged parties involved in the commercialization of the drug to ensure that it is available, and at a cheap price, in order to make it affordable for Nigerian.
He was optimistic that when the health bill before the National Assembly comes on stream, it would make the process of clinical trial of drugs easier and less cumbersome.
He continued: "We are sure that the bill will encourage the protection of the patent of producers of herbal drugs. I challenge all the partners involved in the promotion of the drug to do some more work on the specific dosage to be administered on all categories of users."
Minster of State for Health, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, expressed hope that the drug would encourage local farmers of herbs to generate better income by farming herbs that have medicinal values.
Promising government's support to development of the drug, he called on both parties involved in the agreement to adhere strictly to their parts of the deal.
He said, "The drug has better qualities that makes it more resilient than its orthodox counterparts. Diabetics is the sixth major killer in the family."
The developer of the drug, and owner o the patent, Nelson, thanked all those who contributed to the success of the research into the drug.
He disclosed that about 10 million dollars would be required for investment to get the drug into the world market.
Diabetes is a syndrome of disordered metabolism, usually due to a combination of hereditary and environmental causes, resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). Blood glucose levels are controlled by a complex interaction of multiple chemicals and hormones in the body, including the hormone insulin, made in the beta cells of the pancreas. Diabetes mellitus refers to the group of diseases that lead to high blood glucose levels due to defects in either insulin secretion or insulin action.
Diabetes develops due to a diminished production of insulin in resistance to its effects. Both lead to hyperglycaemia, which largely causes the acute signs of diabetes: excessive urine production, resulting compensatory thirst and increased fluid intake, blurred vision, weight loss, lethargy, and changes in energy metabolism.
All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became medically available in 1921, but there is no cure yet for the ailment. The injections by a syringe, insulin pump, or insulin pen deliver insulin, which is a basic treatment of type 1 diabetes. Type 2 is managed with a combination of dietary treatment, exercise, medications and insulin supplementation.
Adequate treatment of diabetes, as well as increased emphasis on blood pressure control and lifestyle factors (such as not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight), may improve the risk profile of most of the chronic complications.
In the developed world, diabetes is the most significant cause of adult blindness in the non-elderly and the leading cause of non-traumatic amputation in adults. Besides, diabetic nephropathy is the main illness requiring renal dialysis in the United States.
