title: New Approach for the Development of Improved Traditional Medicine: Case of a Preparation of an Oral Hypoglycemic Medicine fromLaportea ovalifolia(Schumach. & Thonn.) Chew. (Urticaceae).
abstract: A majority of Africans rely on traditional medicine as the primary form of health care. Yet most traditional medicine products have a short shelf life, especially for water-based formulations such as macerations, infusions and decoctions. Indeed, many of these water extracts become unfit for human consumption after five to seven days of conservation either because of the degradation or toxicity of active components, and/or the growth of pathogenic organisms. The purpose of this study was to describe and apply a new approach for the development of an improved traditional medicine (ITM) that is cheap, very efficient, not toxic, and easy to produce, and that can be conserved for a longer time without a significant loss of activity. Hence,Laportea ovalifoliawas selected from an ethnobotanical prospection in all regions of Cameroon, and was used to prepare an oral hypoglycemic product. This preparation required 9 steps focused on the characterization of the plant species, and the standardization of the ethnopharmacological preparation by a multidisciplinary team of scientists with expertise in botany, ecology, pharmacognosy and pharmacology. Resultantly, four galenic formulations of hypoglycemic medications were produced. A relationship between these four formulations was described as follow: One spoon of oral suspension (10 ml)=one sachet of powder=2 tablets=3 capsules. Hence, our research provides new insight into a drug discovery approach that could alleviate the major problems affecting traditional medicine and enhance its effectiveness in addressing health care in developing and undeveloped countries.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé, Cameroon ; High Institute of Environmental Sciences, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Nolé
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsabang
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kadjob
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Rose N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Mballa
authors.affiliation: Cellomics and Toxicogenomics Research Laboratory, NIH-RCMI Center for Environmental Health, Jackson State University, Jackson, USA ; Laboratory of Cellular Signalling, Phytoceuticals, Cancer Prevention and Therapies, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Jackson State University, Jackson, USA.
authors.forename: Clement G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Yedjou
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé, Cameroon ; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Nga
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nnanga
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Néhémie T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Donfagsiteli
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Alembert T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Tchinda
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Gabriel A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Agbor
authors.affiliation: High Institute of Environmental Sciences, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Claudine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ntsama
authors.affiliation: Cellomics and Toxicogenomics Research Laboratory, NIH-RCMI Center for Environmental Health, Jackson State University, Jackson, USA ; Laboratory of Cellular Signalling, Phytoceuticals, Cancer Prevention and Therapies, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Jackson State University, Jackson, USA.
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Tchounwou
keywords: Improved traditional medicine; New production strategy; Oral hypoglycemic phytodrug; Sustainable exploitation