A Pharmacist has opened up on how eating Ogbono soup while administering
an Anti-Malaria drug would improve the efficacy of the drug and the
health of the individual.
A Pharmacist, Dr Chukwuma Agubata, has
said that taking Irvingia Fat from nuts of Irvingia Gabonensis Var Excelsa,
known as ‘Ogbono’ soup has helped to improve the efficacy of anti-malarial
drugs.
Agubata, a researcher and lecturer
in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, made
the assertion when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in
Lagos.
He said that eating Ogbono soup
while administering Artemether, an Anti-Malaria drug would improve the efficacy
of the drug.
He said that Ogbono would assist
the drug to pass through all the barriers to get to its destination in the body
and start working properly.
According to him, the finding came out
of a research work entitled “Novel Lipid Microparticles for Effective Delivery
of Artemether Anti-Malaria Drug Using a Locally-Sourced Irvingia Fat from Nuts
of Irvingia Gabonensis Var Excelsa (Ogbono)."
“Malaria is an endemic disease
and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and we also know that most
malaria drugs are administered by mouth — the Artemether Anti-Malaria drugs.
“’But there is a major challenge
which is the low water solubility of the drug which limits it dissolution and
absorption into the blood stream; all this also affect the efficacy of the
drug.
“’So, what we have done in this
research is to improve the anti-malaria efficacy of Artemether drugs by
formulating with Irvingia Fat (Ogbono) which is locally sourced so that there
could be improved delivery and efficacy.
“In our research, we got a very
good result and this shows that our local materials can actually improve the
efficacy of some drugs that already exist,’’ he told NAN.
“The Ogbono was formulated as
microparticles, where the fat from it was used to entrap the drug and it became
a carrier for the drug to the bloodstream.
“So, if you take Ogbono soup
while administering or taking Artemether, there should be an improvement as it
will assist the drug to pass through all the barriers to get to its destination
in the body and start working properly.’’
Agubata called for support from
the government and private organisations to take the research to the next
level.
“We intend to take this
research to the next level with the support of corporate organisations and the
government.
“We will be able to do local
mobilisation and mass produce the locally sourced materials so that Nigerians
will benefit.
“Going forward, there is hope in
reducing the burden of malaria with this research,’’ he said.
(NAN)
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