In simple terms, herbs are plants or plant parts used in its entirety, while a drug is a synthesized copy of one chemical component, such as a component found in a herb. BINTA SHAMA reports on her encounter with this expert, Prof. Emmanso Umobong, who provides some insight into his innovation.
Research has shown that the knowledge of a herbalist prefers using the whole herb and believe that one of the reasons why herbs have fewer side-effects is because of a balance of naturally occurring ingredients, but in the real sense, pharmaceutical companies like to isolate chemicals so they can produce a “pure” concentrate, acquire a patent, and reap large profits.
Every herb consists of hundreds or even thousands of naturally occurring chemicals. The actions of most of these chemicals are not understood, but it is known that a herb’s total effect is a result of the combination.
Herbalism as “Alternative Medicine”
Sometimes people speak of herbalism as alternative medicine. The implication is that the conventional corporate pharma-toxicological medicine as practiced in the Western world is the standard, and that anything else is an alternative. But most herbalists see it the other way around. Herbs have been around for millennia.
The World Health Organization estimates that healing herbs are currently the primary medicines for two-thirds of the world’s population—or some four billion people. Most of the tools currently used by modern medicine, including most of the drugs that are in use today, have only been around for a few decades or less. If anything is an alternative, historically speaking, it is the pharma-toxicological medicine that is currently practiced in Western nations.
Herbal medicine to put an end to Poverty via Innovation
It will interest you to know that these herbs are essentially the vegetable profits that are consumed on a daily basis. If consumed with intention of preventing disease(s) then food would indeed become medicine and medicine food as well.
As known and observed, herbal medicines are a part and parcel of alternative treatment methods, which involves the use of different parts of plants which includes the leaves, stem, fruits, seeds, flower and roots with medicinal properties. Herbal medicine is one of the oldest forms of medicine in the world. Indeed, it has been very well studied and documented in some countries of the world. For example, in Africa, different countries have for a long time used all sorts of herb for the treatment of different types of diseases.
Analysis shows that herbal medicine in Nigeria lacking appropriate documentation has led to very poor patronage from citizens. Practitioners all over the country have died not having recorded the knowledge of Herbal medicine for descendants.
Herbal medicine has been practiced and used for the treatment of numerous ailments for centuries.
Nature has blessed humanity with a huge number of different herbs, Laden with tremendous amount of medicinal properties that can be deployed for the treatment and prevention of different ailments.
The rate at which Herbal medicine has been increasing in popularity is to say the least, alarming. Also, it is important to note that this popularity of herbal medicine as it is today is backed by concrete evidence and testimonies.
The Innovator
The inventor is Prof. Emmanso Umobong, who attended numerous institutions just to attain to where he is today is an MB .BS. (Bachelor’s of Medicine and Bachelors of Surgery) holder and has a Post Graduate Diploma in Natural Medicine, B.Sc. ( Naturopathy ), MSc.(Herbal Medicine), Certified In Integrative Medicine, Professional Doctorate In African Medicines certificates and much more respectively.
His inventions
Sometime back in the discourse of his work, he intimated Nigerians on his innovations which included scientific family planning rings, female hormones balancers and diabetes (work in progress) control. I am involved in development of therapeutic organo-metals. This means a product from s chemical combination of s metal with plant or animal material for healing purposes.
Which according to him said the motivation to research sickle cell remedies drew from his medical school experience with a classmate who had sickle cell anaemia. “I have never met a nobler soul! He suffered a lot due to sickle cell crisis; in fact we always prayed fervently for him because the great stress of medical school made it appear as if he might die the next minute. Nothing could be done to really prevent his crisis. It made me think that it was a neglected condition since it is predominantly a black man’s problem to be solved by a black man I included.”
“My sickler friend did graduate and went on to become one of the foremost Haematologists with outstanding expertise in Sickle cell care. He has co authored a very influential book with a professor of sickle cell.
Sadly his book considered herbal medicines as snake oil. He furthered his studies abroad! He died at 49 years a victim of white man’s deceit! May his soul rest in peace.”
Treatment for Sickle Cell victims
“It is important to note that there are safe effective herbal remedies for care of sicklers. For instance I have here with me SICKLAX a herbal tea that prevents all forms of sickle cell crises. It also reverses crisis quickly if it has already occurred. You boil one teabag only and drink every three days. Compare that to the best Orthodox medicine that is taken three times a day for life. It prevents and reverses sickle cell crisis with no side effects. It is safe for all ages and pregnant women.”
Latest invention
He disclosed his latest invention he has been working on which seem to be a bother to many women especially the black race.
“For quite some decades now, you find ladies whether married or unmarried with fibroid growing inside of them. Quite a number of this ladies grow cold feet when they dictate an issue like this which could lead to operation. I have come up with a solution by God’s Grace for patients to treat it before getting to the irreversible stage. The solution is filled with natural herbs given to us by our maker.”
When critically describing herbal medicine, asides being an important and significant part of alternative medicine where medicinal properties of the plants are from chemical compounds that are naturally found in the plants. These chemicals are the nutrients that make up deficiencies of the chemicals when they are introduced into the body. Herbal medicine can both be preventive and curative.
