Page 17 - Issue 27

Feature 17

From PAge 15
Africa is focused on understanding these interfere with the normal metabolism of HIV/AIDS and associated illnesses.
combinations. Which are harmful? of drugs. For example, St. John’s Wort Clearly more public engagement is
Which could be beneficial? We’re looking is a natural remedy frequently used needed so patients understand the risks
at what’s known as “interactions” – the for depression. But it’s been shown to of interaction.
effect herbal medicines may have on the increase the removal of medicines, such
normal uptake, breakdown or activity of as some oral contraceptives, from the And the good news
prescribed medicines. body. This can lead to ineffective levels But it’s not all bad news. Interactions
of the prescribed medicine, putting between African traditional medicines
Knowledge is key. Scientists need to women at risk of pregnancy when they and prescribed medicines can
conduct proper research to understand think they are protected. potentially be exploited for good.
such interactions. Consumers need to
be taught about these interactions, On the other hand, the interaction One of the biggest problems in the
whether good or bad, and to tell their could also result in reduced clearance development of new medicines is the
healthcare providers about everything of a drug. This may lead to higher levels low uptake of these compounds into
they’re taking. of the prescribed medicine in the body, the body, or its quick removal. In some
which produces negative side effects studies, traditional medicines have been
Understanding interactions and could even lead to toxicity. shown to have the ability to increase
Prescriptions of traditional African uptake or decrease the metabolism
medicines tend to be secretive. They’re These interactions happen at a metabolic of prescription drugs. Applying these
based on knowledge passed from level. So even herbal products that are effects could enable the development
generation to generation of traditional safe when used on their own may pose of new herb-drug combinations with
healers. This can result in vague a risk when taken in combination with increased efficacy and reduced side-
doses. Patients have been known to Western medicine – that is, synthetic effects.
overuse some remedies while self- pharmaceutical agents.
medicating. This can have severe health But studies that characterise and
consequences. These include stomach Some of the best known examples of evaluate the healing properties or
upsets, liver damage and even kidney drug interactions are the effects of potential toxicity and drug interactions
failure. Some widely used natural citrus, particularly grapefruit juice, and of traditional African medicines are very
health plant products which have been alcohol of many prescribed medicines. limited. This is further complicated by
associated with adverse health effects These combinations should be avoided. the fact that so many medicinal plants
because of misuse include Aloe vera, (more than 5000) are being used. So
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) and Another example of particular healthcare practitioners have limited
Green tea (Camellia sinensis). importance in Africa is Cancer bush information and often can’t make
(Sutherlandia frutescens). It is widely proper recommendations to patients
All of these natural remedies are used in the treatment of diseases who use such traditional remedies.
generally considered “safe”, or even such as HIV/AIDS and TB, especially
healthy by consumers since their use in countries like Zambia, Swaziland, Whether positive or negative drug
is not regulated or restricted. Nothing Zimbabwe and South Africa, as it is interactions are at play, African countries
indicates to the user that “too much of believed to generally improve quality need to improve their regulation around
a good thing” could be dangerous. of life in these patients. But it has been traditional medicines. Only a few, among
shown to lower the plasma levels of the them Nigeria, Cameroon and South
Thanks partly to efforts by the World antiretroviral drug, atazanavir, to sub- Africa, have incorporated traditional
Health Organisation, access to Western therapeutic levels when they’re taken African medicines into their adverse
medicine – especially for diseases like together, reducing its anti-HIV efficacy. drug reaction reporting systems.
HIV/AIDS – is increasing across Africa.
More and more people tend to be using This traditional remedy can also originally published online : The Conversation
traditional medicine in combination interfere with isoniazid therapy, which
with prescription medicines. Often is used as a preventative measure in TB
none of their healthcare providers know treatment.
about this and so cannot warn about
possible interactions. Despite these known interactions, policy
makers still promote the use of these
Some traditional African medicines may herbal remedies in the management

www.engineerbw.com Issue 27 - May /June 2020