Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado-Ekiti
A professor of Food and Nutritional Biochemistry at Ekiti State University, Folake Oyetayo, has urged governments, researchers and healthcare professionals to intensify efforts towards harnessing the enormous medicinal potential of indigenous plants, describing them as sleeping pharmaceutical giants capable of transforming healthcare and reducing dependence on expensive orthodox medicines.
Oyetayo stated this while delivering the 108th inaugural lecture of the university titled, ‘In Search of the Beautiful Ones: Unravelling Phytoceuticals and Phytonutrients in Sleeping Pharmaceutical Giants’, at the university auditorium in Ado-Ekiti.
The don explained that her lecture was the culmination of 28 years of teaching and research in food and nutritional biochemistry, focusing on edible plants, medicinal plants, and edible fungi, with the capacity to prevent and manage chronic diseases through naturally occurring bioactive compounds.
According to her, plants should no longer be viewed merely as sources of food but as functional foods rich in phytochemicals that can promote health, prevent disease, and delay ageing without the adverse side effects often associated with synthetic drugs.
She noted that the relationship between humans and medicinal plants dates back to antiquity, stressing that modern scientific investigations have continued to validate the enormous therapeutic value of many indigenous plant species.
The scholar explained that phytochemicals, also known as phytoceuticals, are naturally occurring compounds found in roots, leaves, stems, fruits, grains and edible mushrooms, possessing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycaemic, hypolipidaemic, neuroprotective and renoprotective properties.
She regretted that, despite Nigeria’s rich biodiversity, only a fraction of medicinal plants have been scientifically explored.
“Out of about 250,000 higher plant species on earth, only about one-third has been adequately investigated, leaving thousands of potentially valuable medicinal plants yet to be discovered and utilised,” she said.
The professor described biochemistry as the chemistry of life, explaining that the discipline studies the chemical reactions that occur within living organisms and provides scientific explanations of interactions among food components, medicines, and human health.
Drawing on nearly three decades of research, she said her investigations have centred on identifying bioactive compounds in underutilised indigenous plants and edible mushrooms that could help prevent and manage chronic and degenerative diseases associated with oxidative stress.
According to her, replacing highly processed western diets with diets enriched with locally available medicinal plants could significantly improve public health, reduce healthcare costs and lessen the nation’s dependence on imported pharmaceutical products.
She maintained that many indigenous plants currently regarded as ordinary vegetables or wild species possess enormous pharmaceutical potential that awaits full exploration through scientific research.
“The beautiful ones are already here,” she declared, adding that many indigenous plants are natural pharmacy shelves stocked with beneficial compounds awaiting discovery for the benefit of humanity.
Oyetayo called on governments at all levels to establish botanical gardens and standard herbarium centres to preserve endangered medicinal plant species and create comprehensive databases of Nigeria’s medicinal flora.
She also advocated increased funding for research institutions and universities to acquire modern scientific equipment for investigating medicinal plants, while encouraging multidisciplinary collaboration among basic scientists, clinicians, and the pharmaceutical industry to facilitate the development of plant-based therapeutic products.
The biochemist further recommended community-based cultivation of identified medicinal plants, improved environmental protection to preserve natural habitats, greater public awareness of the nutritional and medicinal values of indigenous plants, and the deployment of digital platforms and mobile applications to promote knowledge about lesser-known medicinal species.
She stressed that stronger partnerships among researchers, communities, food industries, and pharmaceutical companies would accelerate the commercial development of medicinal products from indigenous plants such as Anchomanes difformis, Chrysophyllum albidum, and Costus afer, thereby improving national healthcare outcomes and boosting Nigeria’s bio-economy.
Oyetayo stressed that with sustained investment in research and greater utilisation of Nigeria’s rich plant resources, indigenous medicinal plants could become major contributors to disease prevention, improved nutrition and affordable healthcare for millions of Nigerians.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joseph Ayodele, described the lecture as insightful, impactful and grounded in rigorous research.
He noted that the presentation highlighted the enormous potential of Nigeria’s rich plant resources to promote healthy living and prevent disease through proper nutrition. According to him, greater reliance on locally available plant-based foods as part of a balanced diet could significantly improve public health and lessen dependence on drugs.
The vice-chancellor also reiterated the university’s unwavering commitment to advancing cutting-edge research and innovation that provide practical solutions to societal challenges and contribute to national development and global progress.