An interview with Professor Farombi on COVID -19 Pandemic

Traditional medicine (TM) or native medicine is an essential aspect of the rich cultural heritage across the globe that has survived many generations, focusing on the indigenous way of preventing, diagnosing and managing diseases.

Amongst the most widely known and globally practiced forms of native medicine are: Ayurveda; Unani; Tibetan medicine; Traditional Chinese Medicine and African Traditional Medicine. In Africa, native medicine arguably accounts for up to 80% of the health care delivery according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). These, therefore underscores the global relevance and increasing recognition of traditional medicine as a veritable tool in addressing Man’s health needs.

In a bid to accommodate the worldwide diversity of cultures and their indigenous mode of traditional medicine practices, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined traditional medicine as: “the sum total of all the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures whether explicable or not, used in maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness”

The consumption of medicinal plants and its formulation into herbal plant are a very integral part of this indigenous form of medicine. Briefly, medicinal plants have been described as herbal preparations produced by subjecting plant materials to extraction, fractionation, purification, concentration or other physical or biological processes which may be produced for immediate consumption or as a basis for herbal products; this is according to a recent WHO report.

Undoubtedly, Africa traditional medicine has grown considerably perhaps owing to its ease of accessibility and affordability which has further has made it “the most economical and available system of health care and highly favoured by a large number of the African population in rural and semi-urban areas”

On May 21, 2020, Fresh FM (Ibadan) interviewed Professor E.O. Farombi on one of its radio program to enlighten the populace on some home-grown solutions to the current pandemic based on some well researched therapeutic action of medicinal plants found in Africa.

The professor mentioned a number of medicinal plants available in the local market which could be consumed in their raw forms or cooked as part of meals in order to maintain good health (asides following the rules and regulations directed by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)).

Main Interview

Radio: (brief introduction…)

Professor: Not too many people have been talking about bitter Kola or orogbo (Yoruba name for bitter kola). Well, I would not blame them. Maybe they may not understand what it can do to prevent diseases such as Covid-19. 
We have worked extensively on bitter kola for over 25 years and we can say authoritatively that there are so many things that bitter kola can do. As we know traditionally, our fathers have been using this therapy since antiquity. However, in traditional medicine; bitter kola plays an important role in the management of cough. And as it is known, cough is one of the symptoms of Covid-19. 

Why it is actually able to have a strong effect against cough is on account of its very antibacterial properties. Due to its antibacterial properties, it is able to effective manage cold, catarrh, and cold. In actual fact, studies have shown that the influenza virus that causes the 'flu' - it has been demonstrated through a series of studies that bitter kola can effectively manage flu.

When you come down with flu-like symptoms, you find out that you are relieved. You do not really need to wait before you come down with it, and that it is actually the message today. It’s a message about prevention. Recall, it is being said 'prevention is better than cure'
In science, there is something called chemoprevention. When you practice chemoprevention, it would not come down with the actual disease - it is a lifestyle.

Radio Host: You mean you develop immunity?

Professor: Yes, in one way or the other, your body system gets used to it. So when the disease wants to attack you, you have something to fight it back. So I will encourage that people have moderate intake of bitter kola.

Radio Host: (laughs) I’m happy you said moderate, before our people start to eat it (bitter kola) as if they are eating sweet.

Professor: Yes, I will say that there's need for moderation in everything. Because here in this studio, I cannot talk about the pros and cons of bitter kola.

Radio Host: No! no!! we are not prescribing here…

Professor: Of course we are not. Bitter kola is very handy and is available in the market. People can take. I recommend about 1 - 3 seeds of bitter kola per day. You'd discover that you're going to be very active and very strong. It can also boost the immunity of an individual.
It also has anti-inflammatory property. It has strong antioxidant properties. With this properties, one can be protected and guarded against the disease called Covid-19.

Radio Host: Number 1, Number 2 -

Professor: Two; I will say that people should add these supplements or trace element to their diet. The element is called Zinc. 
Zinc is a trace element. It's a micro-nutrient and it’s very useful to the body.  it is something that should be taken in minute quantity. 

Radio Host (laughs): it seems available in most "chemist" now... a doctor was here (in the studio) and he recommended a cashew as a source of zinc.

Professor: Zinc is an over-the-counter substance and not a drug as it per se. About 40 to 50 milligrams of zinc is very effective for an individual on a daily basis. The reason is because zinc boosts immunity and studies have shown zinc has the ability to inhibit viral replication. That is to say, if the virus enters the system and zinc is present at the same time, it slows down the rate at which the virus is going to be replicated. And if it slows that, then such a person can buy time to actually raise immunity to recover from the disease.

You find out that in many climes, they also administer hydroxychloroquine (HQ) with zinc. I am not prescribing this. You know in the hospital or isolation centre; if the doctors prescribe HQ for you - that is fine. But studies have shown that hydroxychloroquine is like a transporter or ionophore. It more or less facilitate the entry of zinc into the system. And this is actually the reason why they combine both. So when they combine HQ and zinc, HQ enables or transports zinc and makes it to enter the system, making it more bioavailable to actually boost the immunity and inhibit the viral replication.

Radio Host: This is even though HQ been said to have its own dangerous effect?

Professor: Well yes! it may have that (dangerous effect) but it has a lot of good too because HQ has anti-inflammatory property including the fact that it is also being re-purposed for arthritic patients. 

Apart from HQ, there is something that many people don't know that we take normally that will serve the purpose of HQ and are actually non-toxic such as onions. 

The onions that we take has a lot of flavonoids and one of such flavonoids is called quercetin. Quercetin is a free radical scavenger; an antioxidant. It is also an ionophore or transporter. So when quercetin is present with zinc, quercetin facilitates the entry of zinc into the system.

Onion is something you take, onion is everywhere. So rather than taking HQ, if you take onions, it makes zinc able to perform its function. 

Radio Host: So you advise that we eat onions? (questions in Yoruba. To which the professor agrees).

Professor: Then the next thing I also want to talk about is this; there are many substances that contain zinc and one, is ginger. 

If you do the analysis of the components of 
ginger, ginger has a lot of minerals and zinc is one of the components of ginger. So if you take ginger, apart from the function that ginger does; you will benefit from the presence of zinc. 

You know, ginger is an ancient food stuff that people have been taking for several years. It is also very important and well researched and a lot of studies have been conducted on ginger ranging from isolation and characterization of some many compounds from ginger.

When you take ginger; it’s a little spicy and can actually burn the mouth. The reason for this is because of the active component there called the gingerols. The gingeriols, shogaols, paradols - these are the active ingredients in ginger but the most potent or the most active ingredient in ginger that is responsible for its pharmacological properties is a compound called the 6-gingerol. We have studied 6-gingerol in my laboratory and other researchers have also done that for several years. it has a very strong anti-inflammatory property.

As I said before, in Covid-19; inflammation is a very strong pathway by which covid-19 destroy people. So when you have anti-inflammatory agents; the inflammation is attenuated, reduced and abetted. Unresolved inflammation in the disease (Covid-19) may be responsible for the worsening of the disease and death. So ginger has a very strong anti-inflammatory property and has been shown to be relevant to covid-19 management.

Radio Host: What do people call ginger in Yoruba?

Professor: (Ah...) Ata ile funfun. 

So it’s there in the market. People only need to remove the skin; slice it and grate it. You can take it in form of tea. You can add hot water to it and take and you get the benefit. People use it as spice to cook meat. Some also take in form of powder. But I would recommend that person harness the full potential of ginger; you take it fresh as against the powdered one. When if you take it fresh, you would have those active ingredients that I made mentioned earlier. They would be intact and available for your system.

Radio Host: Ok. What is next sir?

Professor: The next is Garlic. People don't like 
to take it because of the smell. Garlic is very important at this time. The reason for the smell is due of the presence of a sulfur-containing compound and certain things that are taking place. 

What is in garlic that makes it potent is called Allicin. When allicin is formed as result of certain reactions; then an individual can benefit from the plant.

Radio Host (speaks Yoruba): What is the benefit of garlic in the body? 

Professor: Garlic is important for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and can help in viral infection.  

Garlic is also a blood thinner. 

Because one of the things that happens during covid-19 is that one has blood clot. So when there is blood clot; apart from pneumonia and other things; embolism occurs. And when embolism take place, the person can die. But when you take something that thins the blood like an anticoagulant - then you find out that this is very relevant and that is one of the things that garlic does in the body. So people should take note that garlic acts as a blood thinner in covid-19. 

So when you have garlic - a blood thinner in your recipe; and you have ginger, an anti-inflammatory agent and zinc - one way or the other you are good to go and soundly protected from the disease.

Radio Host: Ok, prof... you promised seven. I think we've got five now?

Professor: The other thing that I would also say (I've talked about Garcinia cola) is Vitamin C. Vitamin C is very important. In fact, some people have referred to Vitamin C as antiviral vitamin. It is mostly called water soluble vitamin because when you take it, it is soluble and it dissolves in your mouth and you can add water - that is why it is called water soluble vitamin. 

Apart from that, it is very important in the management of cold and in the symptoms of covid-19. That is why you see that as part of what they give them in isolation centres, a dose of about 1000 milligrams (one or two per day) given to those patients everyday aids their healing. It boosts immunity system and its very good in the management of flu. 

You can take in form of tablet (the white one). You can also take the liposomal vitamin C (which is stronger). This is because Liposomal Vitamin C makes the Vitamin C to be more bioavailable to be able to do its functions in the system.

More so, instead of taking Vitamin C in form of tablet; it could also be taken in form of fruits, that is, the citruses that are available at this time. Example; lemon, lime, oranges, tangerine. People are encouraged to invest a lot in them at this point in time as they are rich in vitamin C.

Apart from Vitamin C; the other thing which is important at this point that people don't know… Herbalist and people involved in trado-medical practice know about. It’s in form of a seed called atare (which is called Alligator pepper in English). 

Radio Host: hmm.

Professor: Alligator pepper is called Aframomum melegueta - this is the botanical name; alligator pepper in English and atare in Yoruba. 

This is very important in the management of viral infection.

Radio Host: So, do we take the seed in its raw form? (inquires in Yoruba)

Professor: Yes, in fact 3 or 4 of the seed can be chewed. When you chew it, you find out that it is really spicy and can actually burn your throat a little and then you can swallow.

When you do that, you are benefiting from the strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of atare. Alligator pepper also contains some of those compounds that are present in ginger because they belong more or less to the same family (Zingiberaceae). When you take these seeds, you would get these benefits.

The other one I need to talk about is...

Radio Host: I think I saw Turmeric?

Professor: Yes, the other thing to talk about is the Turmeric. 

Turmeric is very important as it is more or less similar to ginger. Turmeric has been used for several years as a very strong anti-inflammatory agent on account of the active principles. The one referred to as curcumin. Curcumin is what is responsible for the pharmacological activity of turmeric. So either you take curcumin as a supplement or you take turmeric in its whole form.

Radio Host (speaks Yoruba): Please what is the Yoruba name for turmeric, Sir? 

Professor: Ata ile pupa

Radio Host: Hope you all get this now? (rhetoric in Yoruba)

Professor: Turmeric is being sold in market.

Radio Host: Someone just ask what the role of lemon grass tea is in the treatment of covid-19?

Professor: I will answer that soon...

Radio Host: Ok

Professor: Lemon grass is also very important. You know? people boil lemon grass. it is commonly used to treat malaria and one of the symptoms of covid-19 is fever. So when people take lemon grass, it has what is called antipyretic property. It reduces the pain and feverish conditions. Those are some of the things lemon grass does.

Radio Host: You mentioned atare, Turmeric...?

Professor: Yes, another thing finally I also like to mention is the bitter leaf. 

Some of things I have mentioned - like bitter leaf and bitter kola - people don't like them but there's this rule of thumb that "anything that is bitter that you take is likely going to do you good. On the contrary, anything sweet that you take; exercise caution about it"

Sugar is very good but several studies have shown that sugar can also cause a lot of harm. 

Radio Host: Prof., somebody is asking "do we eat onion raw or do we cook it?"

Professor: You can consume it in both forms - raw and cooked. 

Radio Host: We eat it with suya?

Professor: Yes! you can eat it in both forms. You can cut it into slices and serve it together with white rice in the evening. I do it that way and you get these benefits.

Radio Host: Can an ulcer patient take atare (alligator pepper)?

Professor: Well, that is where caution again should be exercised. You need to know, if one is an ulcer patient; it may not be good to take it (alligator pepper) on empty stomach but it can be taken after food.

Radio Host (concluding the radio session with the guest): Maybe you don't know that the guest that we have in this house this morning is the ‘brainbox’ when it comes to the food Oyo state government is asking you to eat this covid-19 season. 

Governor Seyo Makinde rolled out Oyo state food advisory that citizen here should embrace during this COVID session. Those items from the governor were actually certified by our guest this morning - Professor Olatunde Farombi who is also incidentally the head of the department of Biochemistry, University of Ibadan. 

Having said all these, it is also important to emphasize that people have good food to go with these medicinal items earlier mentioned. You have to complement them by eating good food.

Professor: What I would advise is that you eat balanced diet.

Radio Host (speaks jokingly in Yoruba): Because some people will say "Prof has said we should eat atare in the morning; onion in the afternoon; turmeric at night - I'm fine" (laughs)

Professor: I need to mention that you can take these things after food or as a 'refreshing pass-time'

The things I mentioned are not food in the sense of it. Therefore, you must have correct intake of fat, vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates etc. You need balanced diet at this particular point in time; after which you can then take some of the things that have been recommended. 

I am very confident that you have zinc, bitter kola, ginger and garlic...

Radio Host: Two quick questions before we let you go.

Someone is asking what is the Yoruba name for lemon? And then is there any role cucumber can play in this?

Professor: Well, cucumber might not really have a direct effect in relation to the management of the disease but it also serves some important medicinal purposes.

Radio Host: Yoruba name for lemon?

Professor: osan wewe

Radio Host: Wow, what a morning?
A lot of kudos to you prof. this morning online. I think, a lot of people are claiming they are your students. That they are listening to you; everyone is with their pen and paper.

Prof. I am so honoured that you are here this morning. 

Professor: thank you very much 

Radio Host: I now know why Governor Seyi Makinde has asked you to be the advisor when it comes to the right food recipe for our people at this Covid-19 session. We hope to have you again. And the more you talk to us, the more our people are better off with the information that you are reeling.

Thank you once again sir, Professor Olatunde Farombi.

Professor Farombi is the director, Drug Metabolism and Toxicological Research laboratories at University of Ibadan (UI); Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, UI; and Head of Department of Biochemistry at University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Source: Fresh FM (Ibadan)
Written by: Adedoyin Shobo
Facebook/LinkedIn: Shobo Mayowa

Email: shobomayowa05@gmail.com