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Leaf with a bitter taste... Researchers discovered that a water-based extract of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) could be utilized as an adjuvant in the treatment of persons with HIV/AIDS (AIDS).
Can a mixture of native plants, such as the bitter leaf, bitter kola, lemon, lemongrass, Moringa, Gardonema mushroom, and Neem tree, give the illusive treatment for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes AIDS? Assistant Editor CHUKWUMA MUANYA investigates indigenous herbs with antiviral qualities that could be used to improve immunity against not only HIV, but also cancer and other immune-compromised illnesses.
Researchers in Nigeria discovered that a water-based extract of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) could be utilized as an adjuvant in the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients (AIDS).
A study conducted on the immunological effects of Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract and immunace® (nutritional supplement) on HIV-infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) discovered that it could be used as a nutritional supplement in HIV-positive or immuno-compromised patients with cancer or diabetes.
"The aqueous extract of Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) and immunace or both have the immunological effect on HIV-infected individuals," the study stated in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. As a result, we propose that the V. amygdalina extract, immunace, or both be employed as adjuvants in HIV/AIDS treatment."
Researchers at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu State; Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Department of Chemistry; and the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State's Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology conducted the research.
The customer who took the extract or supplement had a higher mean absolute CD4 count (an immune system marker), according to the study's findings. The CD4 count increased more in the individuals who took both the extract and the supplement. When compared to the control group, the rise in CD4 was considerable. The skin rashes in all of the groups also improved.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) have also recognized various herbs and spices that have showed promise in treating opportunistic infections associated with viral infections without causing any negative effects.
They found that garlic (Allium sativum), ginger (Zingiber officinarum), cloves (Syzigium aromaticum), thyme, cayenne, basil, Aloe vera, Neem tree (Dogonyaro/Azadiratcha indica), lemon (Citrus limon), and lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) are effective in treating HIV/AIDS-related opportunistic infections.
Local foods like bitter kola, coconut oil, bitter leaf, Moringa oleifera, Soursop, and the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum, among others, have been validated as immune boosters for the treatment of HIV by Nigerian researchers led by Prof. Maurice Iwu, a professor of pharmacognosy at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Chief Executive Officer of Bioresources Development Group (BDG), and former Chairman of the
In addition, another group of researchers has shown in clinical studies that polyherbal formulations containing primarily bitter leaf can cure chronic hepatitis B and C co-infection, cancer, type 2 diabetes, tuberculosis, and HIV. Researchers from the Halamin Herbal Centre, 10 George Innih Crescent, Apo District, Abuja, and the Department of Histopathology and Cytology, Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Jos discovered that polyherbal preparations containing bitter leaf as the active ingredient strengthen the immune system by regulating a variety of cytokines and chemokines.
Bitter leaf, Aloe barbadensis (commonly known as aloe vera), Saccharum officinarum (sugar cane), Allium sativum (garlic), and Amaranthus caudatus are some of the other ingredients in polyherbal remedies (green amaranth, inine in Ibo, tete abalaye in Yoruba).
Researchers led by Dr. Ben Amodu, a top researcher in plant extracts and natural medicine as well as a pharmacist, have discovered a cure for chronic hepatitis B and C. In recent clinical trials, Amodu and his team of researchers discovered that polyherbal formulations could be used to treat prostate cancer and 'bad' cholesterol.
The results of laboratory tests conducted by Image Scan Diagnostic Centre in Maitama, Abuja, revealed that a patient with an abnormal PSA per milliliter (ng/mL) of the blood of 6.9 was reduced to PSA of 0.41ng/ml after two months of regular use of the polyherbal preparation, as well as a reduction in total cholesterol from 250 mg/dl to 156 mg/dl.
The numerous pharmacological properties of kolaviron from Garcinia kola (bitter kola) could be attributed to its capacity to prevent and/or repair mitochondria damage, according to a 2016 research by Joo S. Teodoro et al titled "Mitochondria as a Target for Safety and Toxicity Evaluation of Nutraceuticals."
Another study published in the journal Phytomedicine validated the use of lemon juice (Citrus limon), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), and gentian violet to treat oral thrush in HIV/AIDS patients.
"However the patient group was limited, the randomized controlled trial confirmed the use of lemon juice and lemongrass for the treatment of oral candidiasis in an HIV community," the researchers wrote.
Garnoderma lucidum's anti-HIV activities have been confirmed by research. "Anti-HIV-1 and Anti-HIV-1-Protease Substances from Ganoderma lucidum," according to a study published in the journal Phytochemistry. The researchers from Japan wrote:
"Ganoderic acid B, ganoderiol B, ganoderic acid C1, 3b-5a-dihydroxy-6b-methoxy-ergosta-7,22-diene, ganoderic acid a, ganoderic acid H, and ganoderiol A were moderately active inhibitors against HIV-1 PR at a 50% inhibitory concentration," according to the study. In a viral vector-based screening, scientists discovered that extracts of Moringa oleifera have inhibitory action against early phases in the infectivity of HIV-1 lentiviral particles, according to a study published in the African Journal of Biotechnology.
"Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) is one of the many medicinal plants used by herbalists to treat or manage people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in African Traditional Medicine (ATM), and there are many claims that it improves the quality of life and reverses HIV/AIDS disease progression," the researchers wrote.
"M. oleifera leaf extracts inhibited early steps in HIV-1 infectivity potently and selectively in this investigation, suggesting that they could be used as a source of antiretroviral lead compounds."
The findings of this study may help to explain why PLWHA claims that using this medicinal plant as a supplement has improved their quality of life."
Last week in Lagos, Iwu informed journalists that his BDG team had turned these native foods into clinically recognized medicines and dietary supplements. Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme (BDCP), Bioresources Institute of Nigeria (BION), Intercedd Health Products (IHP), Intercedd Laboratories (IL), BioTrade Global Agency, and Nature's Emporium make up the Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme (BDG).
These foods, or rather plant extracts, have been developed foods, according to Iwu, that can be utilized as medicines or dietary supplements for HIV/AIDS patients, including:
Moringa Tea, Moringa Leaf Tea, and Moringa Whole Seed have been proved to cure more than 300 ailments in studies. Garcinia-IHP from bitter kola (Garcinia kola) is also used as an antibacterial and detoxifier; Vernonia Ocimum Tea from bitter leaf and smell leaf (Ocimum gratissimum) is also used for blood sugar control and weight management.
IHP Virgin Coconut Oil from coconut as a stress reliever and immune booster; Erovit-IHP, which combines the anti-aging properties of Cordyceps mushroom, the high-potency antioxidant effects of Punica granatum fruits, and the life-enhancing Korean ginseng; Immunovit-IHP, which combines the anti-aging properties of Reishi mushroom, Punica granatum, and Korean ginseng; and Ganoderma Coffee and Ganoderma Green Tea.
Is there a treatment for HIV/AIDS in Halamin Herbal Centre's bitter leaf-based polyherbal preparations? "As it is, it will not be appropriate to portray the message that we have a cure for HIV/AIDS," Amodu stated. We don't want to broadcast any information to the outside world that could lead people to believe we're trying to get ahead of the game. What we have can be studied further, and we're teaming up with NAFDAC to do so.
So I'm not going to pretend that I've found a cure for it at this moment. But, today, the entire world recognizes a functional cure, and we may brag about it. According to the New York Times, "functional cure" What does it mean to be functionally healed? It is a condition in which an HIV/AIDS patient's immune system has improved, opportunistic infections have decreased or disappeared, and no man-hours have been lost (can do his work without help from another). This is exactly what our herbal supplements do; they're on par with traditional antiretroviral therapy"
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