Opportunities for the discovery of anticancer drugs from traditional herbal medicines in Africa: A Review

Abstract

Africa is very rich in plant biodiversity which, if fully explored may bring useful drug substances on the world market. Some of the plants have been used by traditional medical practitioners as medicines for curing various ailments and medical conditions. Such knowledge has been conserved within families and has been passed on orally from generation to generation. One major challenge to accessing conventional treatment for cancers in Africa is the cost of treatment hence most cancer patients in Africa use Traditional Medicines (TMs) for primary health care. Some use both conventional treatment and traditional herbal medicines. The incidence and burden for cancer is high with the number of newly diagnosed cancers worldwide expected to reach 24 million by 2035. It is therefore imperative to intensify research and development of anticancer drug substances from previously untapped resources an example being African plants. It is therefore imperative that the herbal medicines which truly cure cancer be prepared following the FDA guidelines for preparation of herbal medicines with efficacy and safety data included.