Medication is hope of life

Statistics by world bank indicate that for almost 25 years, the number of people living in extreme poverty — on less than $1.90 per person per day — was steadily declining. But the trend was interrupted in 2020, when poverty rose due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 crisis combined with the effects of conflict and climate change — which had already been slowing poverty reduction.

Decreased income, job losses, and work stoppages during the pandemic were especially damaging to poor households. Women, youth, and low-wage and informal workers, especially those living in urban areas, were among the hardest hit. Inequality rose both within countries and between countries, with long-term impacts on access to opportunity and to social mobility.

Although global poverty has more recently resumed its pre-pandemic downward trajectory, between 75 million and 95 million additional people could be living in extreme poverty in 2022 compared to pre-COVID-19 projections, due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and rising inflation.

Food inflation can have a particularly devastating impact on poor families. A typical person in a low-income country spends about two-thirds of their resources on food, while the same figure for the typical person in a high-income country is closer to 25%.

Governments often can mitigate the impact of rising inflation on poor families through social protection policies. However, somewhat different from the previous periods of high food price inflation, government finances have been depleted due to various fiscal measures enacted through the COVID-19 crisis. For economies still reeling from the pandemic, the inflationary pressures could not have come at a worse time.

Research suggests that the effects of the current crises will almost certainly be felt in most countries through 2030. Under these conditions, the goal of bringing the global absolute poverty rate to less than 3 percent by 2030, which was already at risk before the pandemic, is now beyond reach unless countries take swift, significant, and substantial policy action.

Majority of nations in the world are third world  countries and therefore, many people have either limited access to medications due to financial constraints or lack  of enough information on how to fully utilize the available natural resources as medications for the rare diseases. Increase in population leading to expanded settlements, Little knowledge on how to harness  medicine from botanical sources, lack of skills on how to identify and harvest phytochemicals, recombine the most active ingredient phytochemicals among plant extracts are major setbacks in medicinal discoveries. Most importantly is conserving of natural environment through afforestation and re-afforestation to create balance in the ecosystem and continual co existence.

Traditional medicinal herbs play a vital role in medicinal discoveries and research Development. It’s from the traditional herbalists that the purported herbs of medicinal value are able to be taken in to the laboratories to ascertain their efficacy, toxicity and phytochemical components that which are instrumental in the control and treatment processes.

Ethnobotanical surveys carried out in a number of studies from different plants in various regions in Kenya, confirms a number of herbs that possess medicinal value. Medicinal plants have been used in the treatment of various diseases as they possess potential pharmacological activities including antineoplastic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesics, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, antidiarrheal and other activities.

The scientific foundation essential for the formation and invention of novel drugs from a natural source is provided by the chemical characterization and analysis of the plant materials composition. Phytochemicals are natural compounds in fruits, vegetables, aromatic plants, leaves, medicinal plants, flowers, and roots (Shaikh & Patil, 2020).

Phytoconstituents individually or in the combination, determine the therapeutic value of a medicinal plant. Alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, saponins, steroids, glycosides, terpenes etc. are some of the important phytochemicals with diverse biological activities. The pharmacological activity of a plant can be predicted by the identification of the phytochemicals. Currently, phytochemicals are determined by various modern techniques, but the conventional qualitative tests are still popular for the preliminary phytochemical screening of plants.

 Phytochemical analysis of EEAC was carried out as a first step in searching for active ingredients responsible for biological activity. Moreover, it provided a basis for the isolation of the targeted compound and may lead to the discovery and development of drugs. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of EEAC confirmed the presence of various substances, such as flavonoid, tannin, saponin, anthraquinone, and glycoside.

In this study, a number of antidiabetic herbs are intended to be taken into the laboratories to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the phytochemical properties of the active ingredients, quantify and compare the percentages, extract and purify to enhance the effectiveness of the active ingredient.

A comparison is made among collected herbs to ascertain and list in order the most common active ingredients. The main objectives being:

a). To determine the phytochemicals that possess the related pharmacological/ therapeutic value.

b). Select and match probable combinations from the obtained quantities of active ingredients (Phytochemicals) that would be suitable and most effective in treatment of diabetes.

c). From the suitable combinations, determine the best plant extract match that can be used by herbalist and patients to treat diabetes more effectively.

In the laboratories, recombination of the most active phytochemicals will then be done from the generated most common active ingredients to enhance their efficacy leading to manufacture of more effective anti-diabetic drugs  in the markets.

Trials on the safety of the recombinants will be taken to the animal laboratory for testing to ascertain their toxicity, dose administration per unit body weight and any epidemiological disorders.

Because of increased poverty as a result of the pandemic there is inflation of commondities in the market. As such low class earners will definitely not afford the available medication for the rare diseases. Laboratory research on these traditional medicines will greatly achieve the best combination for treatment of the diseases both as extracts and commercial made drugs. 

Sensitization on suitable recombinants of extracts in optimum doses is also a mode of personal prophylaxis to alleviate rare diseases. This way, we are able to increase life expectancy and provide alternative treatment to the rare diseases.

I have  been a technologist  at the University of Nairobi since August 2008 during which I handled practical, facilitated a number of research work both Masters and PhD programs as part of the routine departmental cores.  I have also been involved in training of junior staffs, interns and students on attachment. My research  area of interest are Natural products, medicinal chemistry, Extraction processes, reproductive Biology, Comparative Physiology and Biochemical Analyses.

As I carry out ethno botanical surveys in research work I also train herbalists on the type and nature of recombinations so that they in turn relay the information to the patients on the importance of herb- recombination for effective  treatment. 

Financial constraints : Since coming up with the concept I have been unable to start because there is no funds to support and therefore that is why I've applied for the challenge.

In this study, a number of antidiabetic herbs are intended to be taken into the laboratories to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the phytochemical properties of the active ingredients, quantify and compare the percentages, extract and purify to enhance the effectiveness of the active ingredient.

A comparison is made among collected herbs to ascertain and list in order the most common active ingredients. The main objectives being:

a). To determine the phytochemicals that possess the related pharmacological/ therapeutic value.

b). Select and match probable combinations from the obtained quantities of active ingredients (Phytochemicals) that would be suitable and most effective in treatment of diabetes.

c). From the suitable combinations, determine the best plant extract match that can be used by herbalist and patients to treat diabetes more effectively.

In the laboratories, recombination of the most active phytochemicals will then be done from the generated most common active ingredients to enhance their efficacy leading to manufacture of more effective anti-diabetic drugs  in the markets.

Trials on the safety of the recombinants will be taken to the animal laboratory for testing to ascertain their toxicity, dose administration per unit body weight and any epidemiological disorders.

Increased life expectancy

Manufacture of novels of drugs for the rare diseases

Increased of more effective drugs leading to cost reduction

Increased personal initiative gain in civic education

Since it is an Idea stage I don't have measurable indicators for the concept yet

A comparison is made among collected herbs to ascertain and list in order the most common active ingredients. The main objectives being:

a). To determine the phytochemicals that possess the related pharmacological/ therapeutic value.

b). Select and match probable combinations from the obtained quantities of active ingredients (Phytochemicals) that would be suitable and most effective in treatment of diabetes.

c). From the suitable combinations, determine the best plant extract match that can be used by herbalist and patients to treat diabetes more effectively.

In the laboratories, recombination of the most active phytochemicals will then be done from the generated most common active ingredients to enhance their efficacy leading to manufacture of more effective anti-diabetic drugs  in the markets. Trials on the safety of the recombinants will be taken to the animal laboratory for testing to ascertain their toxicity, dose administration per unit body weight and any epidemiological disorders

The core technologies include Phytochemical identifications, quantifications, qualifications, purifications and recombinations

University of Nairobi is an Educational Institution where I have Worked since 2008 and pursued my first degree course.

Not applicable