From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Prof. Zechariah Lanka Matting of the NICM Health Research Institute at Western Sydney University, Australia, has disclosed that bitter leaf, which is abundant in Africa, has huge medicinal benefits, thus advocating more consumption from the people.
He said that, unfortunately, Africans are underutilising the potential of the bitter leaf, perhaps, due to poor knowledge of its medicinal benefits.
Prof. Matting disclosed this in a paper entitled “Is Africa Underutilising Vernonia Amygdalina Delile (Bitter Leaf)?” which he delivered at a seminar organised by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State.
Bingham University, in a statement posted on its social media handle, indicated that Prof. Matting, also exposed participants at the seminar to the potential of the Bitter Leaf.
The seminar also served as an opportunity to x-ray the huge potential of the African indigenous plant, and bridge the gap between research conducted in Australia and Nigeria with the possibility for further collaborations.
He stated that preliminary result of the research being conducted in collaboration with some research institutes in Nigeria indicated that the indigenous African plant (bitter leaf) has the potential to act as an anti diabetic, anticancer, and anti-haemorrhoid treatment amongst many other uses. Prof. Matting emphasised the need for increased exploration of the medicinal properties of the plant and encouraged African researchers to seize the opportunity to delve deeper into the potential therapeutic applications of Vernonia Amygdalina Delile (bitter leaf).