Nigerian Herbal Practitioner Receives American Patent for the Cure of Diabetes
The natural health segment of the Nigerian alternative health industry received a global attention, last month, when a Nigerian, Dr. Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, finally crushed the mystry surrounding diabetes, the deadly scourge affecting hundreds of millions all over the world, with the discovery of AD1, a herbal anti-diabetic phytopharmaceutical remedy
Dr. Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, a Nigerian herbal medicine researcher, has discovered a cure for diabetes. The drug, called ADI presents a major landmark in the global search for safer alternative medicament for the treatment of diabetes. Nelson is the patent owner of AD1, a herbal anti-diabetic phytopharmaceutical.
Unlike insulin which has been used for many decades to manage diabetes, Nelson’s “wonder” drug can be administered orally, making it possible for patients to administer it as capsule, tablet or syrup. Insulin can only be injected into the body. To begin the commercial production of the drug said to be the first of its kind in the herbal world, Dr. Nelson has entered into agreement with a United States based company GDPAU. For a pharmaceutical discovery to be valid and accepted by the medical community, it must have gone through series of rigorous experiments (clinical trials), and findings shared among peers via medical publications and conferences.
Dr Aliyu Idi Hong, Minister of State for Health, described the breakthrough as "epoch and historical" the production of Antidiabetic Phytopharmaceutical by Nelson in collaboration with the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Research and Development. Diabetes is a potentially life-threatening condition in mammals brought about by an inability of the mammals to produce insulin. Insulin, a polypeptide hormone produced in the pancreas of the mammal, controls the amounts of glucose present in the blood by stimulating the uptake of glucose by the muscle and adipose tissue.
Nelson was, last year May, granted a United States patent entitled "Medicament for the Treatment of Diabetes", a feat that raised hopes for millions of sufferers of the disease worldwide. Hong said at the signing of an agreement between Nelson and GDPAU, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, for the commercialisation of an Antidiabetic Phaytopharmaceutical in Abuja, that the drug would contribute to the quality of health care all over the world and boost the economy of the country.
The drug, which was said to have been administered on many diabetic victims, has been found to be very safe and highly effective. It was also said to have corrected erective dysfunctions noticed in those victims. The minister said the drug would expand the landscape of medicare in the world and encourage more researches into herbal drugs in the country.
"I believe that there are so many of such leaves in the bushes in Nigeria that can cure many of these diseases that are proving difficult in the world. This is an epoch and historical day in the history of this country," he said.
The minister noted that diabetes has posed a serious health challenge worldwide, and is the sixth largest killer in Nigeria "There is hardly a house you go to in Nigeria that one person will not be affected by this killer disease," he said.
He pledged the support of the Federal Government to the efforts of research institutes, especially those who are into herbal medicine research.
Director-General of Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research, Dr. Ufot Inyang, described as unfortunate the inability of the Federal Government to explore the enormous benefits in the herbal market. He regretted that although the market had the capacity of generating over $100 billion annually, the country was not taking advantage of it.
He said the ongoing global economic crisis would adversely affect the fortunes of Nigerian pharmaceutical companies and stressed the need to focus on the herbal drugs."It is an opportunity we have been missing and I don't want us to miss it again," he said.
Representative of GDPAU, Prof. Ramesh Pandey, who described the drug as one of the greatest things that will come out of the continent, said it could go a long way in helping to launder the image of the country. He commended the efforts of Nigerian researchers, describing them as one of the best in the world.
The drug will be funded and marketed by a Nigerian company, TREC International Limited. It is estimated that it will cost the company an initial $10 million to deliver the drug to the market.
Nelson recorded a breakthrough in his research for a drug that could cure diabetes when the US government issued him with a patent (No. 6,531,461) for his medication, which can effectively treat Type I and Type II diabetes. A documented proof of the discovery showed that Nelson, who then resided at Plot 574 Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja, filed his application for a US patent June 4, 2001.
The award to Nelson, a graduate of Chemistry from the University of Ibadan, was made on the strength of his research, which determined the exact chemical structure of the active ingredient. The research was also able to determine the quantity of the drug, which could be tolerated in the human body, and yet be able to stem the patient's condition.
Nelson's drug had been subjected to two clinical trials the last being at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital (UJTH). At the first clinical trial, the initial extract derived from Vernonia amygdalina was orally administered to 26 patients all of whom had been previously diagnosed as suffering from insulin deficiency. For control, a group of five were used, who maintained diet discipline throughout the trial. The initial extract was dosed to the patients three times daily in 100mg aliquots for six months.
The blood glucose levels of all 31 subjects were closely monitored. It was revealed that the 26 patients receiving the initial extract no longer required maintaining diet discipline after the first month and examination showed remission of the disease after three months. Fifteen patients were said to have continued receiving medication for the remaining three months of the trial.
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