popularly known as kola nut can cure the deadly Ebola virus as shown
in its tracks during a laboratory tests.
The Professor, who made the revelation while speaking at the 16th
International Botanical Congress in St Louis in the United States of
America, also disclosed that a compound taken from kola nut plant have
also proved effective against some strains of flu.
He stated that if the anti-Ebola compound proves successful in animal
and human trials, it will be the first medicine to successfully treat
the virus that causes Ebola haemorrhagic fever which is usually a
fatal condition.
Iwu, who set up and heads the Bioresources Development and
Conservation Programme, led the research that reportedly started 10
years ago, after researchers were led to the plant by traditional
native healers who said they have used the plant for the treatment of
infectious diseases for centuries.
Prof. Iwu who also came from a family of traditional healers after the
tour said: "This is a very exciting discovery. The same forest that
yields the dreaded Ebola virus could be a source of the cure."
He, however, noted that tests are still in the early stages, adding
that researchers hope that if the compound continue to prove
successful the US Food and Drug Administration will put it on a fast
track and produce drugs for humans within a matter of years.
"The discovery of these important properties in a simple compound,
flavonoids was very surprising. The structure of this compound lends
itself to modification, so it provides a template for future work.
Even if this particular drug does not succeed through the whole drug
approval process, we can use it to construct a new drug for this
deadly disease" Dr. Iwu said.
He said the Garcinia kola compound has been shown to halt
multiplication of the virus in the laboratory, noting that If repeated
in humans, it would give the body a chance to fight off the virus.
Meanwhile, Ebola virus was first recorded in 1976 after an outbreak in
Zaire now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where 88 per cent of
the 318 people that were infected died. Another outbreak in 1995 also
claimed the lives of 81% of the 315 infected people. There are four
types of the virus; Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan and Ebola-Ivory Coast all
affect humans, while Ebola-Reston has so far only affected monkeys and
chimpanzees. The virus multiplies rapidly in the human body and
quickly overwhelms it, and in advanced cases the patient develops high
fever and severe bleeding. It is reported that doctors are unable to
curtail the virus once infection has taken over the victim, giving the
disease a terrifying reputation.
Maurice Iwu, who is a Professor of Pharmacognosy was appointed
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in
June 2005, and was later removed from office in April 2010. He wrote
this article when he was still a Doctor, and the article was first
published by the British Broadcasting Corporation on August 5, 1999.
He studied at the University of Bradford, England, where got a Master
of Pharmacy degree in 1976 and a Ph.D in 1978. The Professor is
believed to have since returned to researching after ceding office to
the current INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega.
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