Part 3: The Use Of Natural compounds and The Future of Anti-Malarial Treatment

In the run up to World Malaria Day on the 25th April 2011, BioMed Central's open access journal, Malaria Journal takes a long hard look at the development of natural compounds for use in the fight against malaria.

There are over 200 million cases of malaria each year with 85% of all cases being children under five years old and, according to the World Health Organisation, in 2009 malaria was responsible for 781,000 deaths worldwide. Low cost treatment is available, 100 million children a year are treated with Artemisinin combination therapy at a cost of about 30 cents per child, but resistance of the parasite to this treatment is increasing. In the face of this resistance, researchers are turning to traditional medicine to provide a starting point for the development of new drugs.

Traditional remedies are widely used especially in areas of poverty or where there is no access to medical treatment. The combination of artemisinin, flavanoids, and other compounds which occur naturally in the leaves of Artemisia annua, increases the effectiveness of the treatment and decreases metabolism of the active ingredient. Circumin (from turmeric) has anti-malarial properties and is being tested for use against cerebral malaria. Adding piperine (from black pepper seeds) to circumin increases the effectiveness of circumin 2000 times. Plant extracts such as lemon eucalyptus, citronella, and neem oil also have use as insect repellents but are not as yet recommended for use by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Researchers suggest following the Research Initiative on Traditional Anti-Malarial Methods (RITAM), which shows a consensus of observational and laboratory results with clinical clearance of parasites. They also advocate the inclusion of native healers for the review of disease surveillance, ethnobotanical treatments, and changes in health care policy to increase the validity of these traditional medicines.

However, there is currently no concerted research into the effectiveness of natural compounds as anti-malarials or as malaria prophylaxis. Consequently, there is a need for partnership organisations, such as African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDi), to promote standardisation in observing traditional remedies and the subsequent pharmacological purification and testing of compounds and combinations in the clinic.

As side RiTAM, other organizations are also joining forces to fight against the dark forces of malaria parasite. One of such organisation is the Winnenden, Germany based Action for National Medicine (ANAMED) headed by DR. Hans Martin-Hirt, a renowned Plant Pharmacist and Human Immunologist. Anamed is in the fore-front of strongly deveoping and propagating the use of Natural medicine to fight dreaded diseases like malaria, cancer  and HIV/AIDS and other common African disease conditions through the use of Natural Medicine locally available to Africans.

For more Information about:

Natural Treatments for Malaria, Cancer and HIV/AIDS contact Abubakar on Phone +2348037409343, +2348055842307, +2348024239713.

Or Email: wojemaza@hotmail.com
For details about us; please visit our website: www.grenera,com.ng

Sources:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/presscenter/pressreleases/20110321b

http://www.naturaltreatmentmethods.com/treatment-of-malaria-the-natural-way/

http://www.anamed.net/

For Moringa products order in different locations in Nigeria; Please contact following sales officers:

Kano:

Contact. Alhaji Balarabe Umar

Phone:08034200413, 08055738320, 08097669666,

Lagos:

Contact: Mr. Falade Samuel

Phone: 08066673488, 08027280624, 08091311285

Contact: Mrs Kemi Ogbuji

Phone: 08035101881


Contact: Wuraola Adeoye

Phone: 07088642588


Port Harcourt

Contact: Mr. Baba Abubakar

Phone: 08037409343, 08055842307


Contact: Mrs. Chinwe

Phone: 08037103657, 08092504754


Contact: Mr. Nurudeen Dakaya

Phone: 08038777244, 08185773463


Contact: Mr. Essien James

Phone: 08037660617, 08089559612

Kano:

Contact Balkisu Abubakar

Phone: 08034641004


Abuja:

Contact:  Ahmed Magaji

Phone: 08037015233


Kaduna:

Contact: Mr. Henry

Phone:  07034565532

Part 2: Moringa Oleifera and Artemisia Annua for Effective Treatments of Malaria, Cancer and HIV/AIDS

For various reasons malaria continues to be a growing problem in Africa. The key factor is the widespread resistance of Plasmodium Falciparum to conventional anti-malarial drugs, such as chloroquine, mefloquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) and amodiaquine. Overall, it is estimated that malaria costs Africa more than $12 billion annually, even though it could be controlled for a fraction of this amount.

WHO recommends that all countries experiencing resistance to conventional therapies should use combination therapies, preferably those containing artemisinin derivatives for P. Falciparum Malaria, called ACTs (Artemisinin Combination Therapies), which now appears to be the only known reliable treatment for malaria. However, lately resistance to ACT has been observed in Thailand-Cambodia border areas. Interestingly, previous incidences of parasite resistance for other anti-malarial substances have also been noted around the same region.

International funding available for malaria prevention, including mosquito-control strategies, and for treatment is estimated at $1.1 billion in 2008, but resource needs are estimated to be much higher exceeding $5 billion per year. International efforts to address malaria have intensified in recent years and the U.N. Millennium Development Goals include targets to reduce the impact of malaria by 2020.

Notwithstanding the malaria control strategies reported to have been widely applied such as, free distribution of mosquito nets in malaria endemic areas and increased level of funding in public and private sector directed at new drugs and vaccines, the world is still awaiting an inexpensive and effective treatment for malaria, acceptable by all and sundry.

Using Artemisinin to Fight Malaria Scourge

Artemisia Annua containing Artemisinin is primarily available in China, Vietnam and to some extent in East Africa. Besides the limited availability of the plant itself, the artemisinin content is also low, rarely above 0.8% on large scale basis.

Since the isolation and characterization of artemisinin in China, the pharmaceutical initiatives have been based on using only the pure artemisinin or its derivatives, either as a mono-therapy, or as ACT, i.e., Artemisinin combined with other previously developed “synthetic” anti-malarial chemicals. This to my belief is a development that will completely hinder the effectiveness of the project. Because of the over 300 phyto-chemical components contained in Artemisia plant, at least 10 are anti-malaria agents and the rest still very beneficial to well being of human body including, vitamins and minerals, Micro and Micro nutrients. This is what makes Artemisia plant on its own a combined therapy. So, one will wonder on what basis should the additional use of any “synthetic” chemical be combine with Artemisinin, given the fact that artemisinin itself is an extract of artmisia. This is one major factor that has provided some weaknesses (like bacterial resitance to the drug) for the treatment of malaria scourge.

However, apart from development of anti-malarial vaccines on going for the past 25 years, researches around the world has been focused on chemical and bio-synthesizing of the artemisinin compound, and to improve the specie to produce higher than average of 1.5% to 2.5 % or higher artemisinin content, which has been successful to a large extent. However, its impact has not yet been accessed.

Although it is recognized that the stereo-specificity of the artemisinin molecule makes total synthesis very difficult and may very well not be adaptable to industrial productions at acceptable price levels, the initiative is still being pursued aggressively. In contrast, the Phytochemicals investigation of Artemisia has revealed an ‘abnormally’ wide range of endoperoxides and hydroperoxides similar to artemisinin, many of which have not even been tested for their anti-malarial activity?

It is possible that the pharmaceutical initiatives are focused on products that can be patented. In the meanwhile promising non-patentable solutions like the use of Raw Artemisia Annua tea (leaf Powder) or capsule (powder) are set aside while malaria continues to be the scourge of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, it is a known history that Artemisia Annua tea is being used in China to treat malaria for well over 2000 years.

It is also to the understanding of World Health Organization that other humanitarian organization like RITAM and ANAMED are working round the clock with possibly no funds at their disposal to work for entire humanity to get over malaria scourge ravaging the undeveloped world, Africa inclusive. The politics behind “Roll Back Malaria (RBM)” goes beyond under-developed worlds and that is why WHO will always be ready to discourage other well meaning organizations willing to permanently Roll Back Malaria for the under-develop worlds.

The future of artemisinin

Despite much research, artemisinin remains the only known natural product to contain a 1,2,4 -trioxane ring, and Artemisia plant continues to be its only known source. Although micro propagation of Artemisia can be easily accomplished, it is highly unlikely that this method will yield commercially viable artemisinin.

It appears that wild or field-cultivated Artemisia will be the only viable option for artemisinin in the foreseeable future. Therefore the requirement for increasing acreage under cultivation is of vital importance just as the need for improving the quality of the plant, as well as research for alternate solutions.

A Not-so-unique Approach to Development of Treatment for Malaria using Artemisinin compound

Several issues are related to pure artemisinin or its derivatives as a mono-therapy or as ACT, such as:

 ■ Short shelf life

 ■ Special storage requirements

 ■ Lower intestinal absorption

 ■ Dietary considerations unlikely to be met in majority of malaria endemic areas

 ■ Unsuitability for high risk populations: children under 5 years and pregnant woman

Besides the above adverse conditions, the primary shortcoming is due to ignoring potential therapeutic value of other endo-peroxides and hydro-peroxides contained in Artemisia plant in favour of selective extraction of artemisinin.

Following from the above assessment, a further three fundamental criterions were included:

 1. The treatment should be FULLY EFFECTIVE with rapid resolution of symptoms for the entire population range including those at high levels of risk

 2. The treatment should be AFFORDABLE & ACCESSIBLE worldwide to all under risk.

 3. The treatment should have NO SIDE EFFECTS.

For contributions, comment and enquiries on this topic and purchase of our Artemsia and Moringa products, please contact the writer of this blog through the comment box below or on phone: +2348024239713, +2348037409343, +2348055842307

Part 1: Using Moringa and Artemisia Annua for Effective Treatments of Malaria, Cancer and HIV/AIDS

Malaria is a dreaded disease and it is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium Falciparum, which is transmitted via the bites of an infected anopheles (female) mosquitoes.  Malaria is said to be responsible for over two million deaths annually, it continue to hamper development of African continent due to lost time development factor. Sub-Sahara Africa has always been worst hit by malaria since it is one of the leading causes of death in children. These facts, makes malaria one of the most important health problems faced in the Sub Saharan Africa. Nigeria shoulders over 40 percent population capacity of this sub-continent.

This parasite attacks the human body and multiplies uncontrollably in the liver, and then infects red blood cells. Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, and usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs of the body.

The present increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistant strains of the parasite, with an attendant rise in resistant to treatment with several of the available drugs that used to be effective have made it necessary to keep looking for new sources of safer and effective treatments via drugs and various therapies. In many parts of the world, malaria is still being treated with orthodox and traditional medicine, otherwise called “combine therapy”. In advance economies combine therapies are always the best approach to treatments that are dreaded and complicated like cancer and related diseases. Plants have also, always been the source of important compounds of some presently available useful anti-malaria drug like quinine and artemisinin. The crude extract of cinchona tree bark and leaves of Artemisia annua were used successfully in the treatment of malaria infection, especially in south East Asia. China and Vietnam are very typical examples.

In a similar relationship, the transformation of a normal cell into a cancer cell can occur when the genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA) of a cell is changed, or mutated. A tumor is the result of multiple gene mutations within a single cell. Years or decades before a tumor is formed in a tissue, a cell can become weakened by various factors, making it more susceptible to later transformation into a cancer cell. Cancer is often a disease of age, with many occurring after age fifty.  Cancer is graded in stages, there are four stages. The first and second stage is determined by size of cancer, the third stage is by size and if it has traveled to other parts of the body, the fourth stage of cancer is the worst and it has gone to parts of the body. Cancer cells can divide abnormally and out of control. In which in a much generalized term is defined by abnormal uncontrolled cell growth.

Although cancer ravage cannot be compared to malaria ravage or as a prevalent in Africa, but it’s still poise another health challenge to our societies in Sub-Saharan Africa and due to lack of technology in this part of the world to tackle them, cancer patient are normally left on their own just as HIV/AIDS patients. This may be due to cultural and societal tendencies associated with these infectious diseases. As a result, cancer patients are often left to die when there are no huge sums of money for their treatment, most especially if patients are low income earners.

Cancer is becoming a prevalent health challenge to sub Saharan Africa, yet it is thought to have no name in most of over two thousand languages in Africa. But I know in Hausa land, it is called “Daji”. It is also expected that a million new cases are due to be reported in sub-Saharan Africa this year- a number predicted to double to 2 million a year, in the next decade due to recent economic advantages of this sub-continent.

Dr. David Kerr. A cancer specialist based at Britain's Oxford University and former president of the European Society of Medical Oncology, Kerr set up the charity AfrOx in 2007 to help African countries seek to prevent and control cancer.

"There have been some marvelously effective campaigns around AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, and of course infectious diseases like those are terribly important," he said in an interview. "But already there are more deaths in the world from cancer than from AIDS, TB and malaria combined."

By 2030, according to predictions from the World Health Organisation (WHO), 70 percent of the world's cancer burden will be in poor countries, a prediction Kerr says leaves most lay people, and even many doctors, "utterly astonished".

"They think cancer is a disease of the wealthy. But the reality is that, in part because of success in tackling infectious diseases, Africans are living longer. It's almost a booby prize that they're now living long enough to get cancer."

For many women in Africa, that means diseases like breast and cervical cancer have become common causes of death before their victims have begun to learn about them, let alone find words for them.

A study published in 2011 found that since 1980 new cervical cancer case numbers and deaths have dropped substantially in rich countries, but increased dramatically in Africa and other poor regions. Overall, 76 percent of new cervical cancer cases are in developing regions, and sub-Saharan Africa already has 22 percent of all cervical cancer cases worldwide.

The same research found that some poorer countries saw a rise in breast cancer cases of more than 7.5 percent a year over the 30 year period studied - more than twice the global rate.

If we take the case HIV/AIDS, we all know that HIV/AIDS is dreaded disease to Sub-Saharan Africa. It has killed many countless number of people-Men, Women and Children of all ages. Today African leaders have nothing more to offer their citizen as far as HIV/AIDS is concern. It is a major public health concern and cause of death in many parts of Africa. Although Africa is home to about 14.5% of the world's population, it is estimated to be home to 69% of all people living with HIV and to 72% of all AIDS deaths in 2009.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has predicted outcomes for the region to the year 2025. These range from a plateau and eventual decline in deaths beginning around 2012 to a catastrophic continual growth in the death rate with potentially 95 million cases of infection.

Without the kind of health care and medicines (such as anti-retroviral) that are available in developed countries, large numbers of people in Africa will develop AIDS. They will not only be unable to work, but will also require significant medical care. This will likely cause a collapse of economies and societies.

In an article titled "Death Stalks a Continent", Johanna McGeary attempts to describe the severity of the issue. “Society's fittest, not its frailest, are the ones who die—adults spirited away, leaving the old and the children behind. You cannot define risk groups: everyone who is sexually active is at risk. Babies too, [are] unwittingly infected by mothers. Barely a single family remains untouched. Most do not know how or when they caught the virus, many never know they have it, many who do know don't tell anyone as they lie dying.

In some African societies, infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, cancer and other opportunistic infections like TB are believe to be a taboo to an infected patient, as such live the distressed patient to die as an outcast in that society. Because friends and families of the infected person deserts him like water evaporates from a sun dried leaf.

For contributions, comment and enquiries on this topic and purchase of our Artemsia and Moringa products, please contact the writer of this blog through the comment box below or on phone: +2348024239713, +2348037409343, +2348055842307

For details about us; please visit our website: www.grenera.com.ng 

Buy our Moringa Products from the distributors below: 

Kano:

Contact. Alhaji Balarabe Umar

Phone:08034200413, 08055738320, 08097669666,

Lagos:

Contact: Mr. Falade Samuel

Phone: 08066673488, 08027280624, 08091311285

Contact: Mrs Kemi Ogbuji

Phone: 08035101881


Contact: Wuraola Adeoye

Phone: 07088642588


Port Harcourt

Contact: Mr. Baba Abubakar

Phone: 08037409343, 08055842307


Contact: Mrs. Chinwe

Phone: 08037103657, 08092504754


Contact: Mr. Nurudeen Dakaya

Phone: 08038777244, 08185773463


Contact: Mr. Essien James

Phone: 08037660617, 08089559612

Kano:

Contact Balkisu Abubakar

Phone: 08034641004


Abuja:

Contact:  Ahmed Magaji

Phone: 08037015233


Kaduna:

Contact: Mr. Henry

Phone:  07034565532


Akure:

Contact: Mr. Samuel

Phone: 08033737820