Nigerian Professor Advocates Indigenous Plants for Future Disease Prevention and Drug Discovery

Ekiti State University professor Folake Oyetayo is championing the medicinal potential of indigenous plants, urging governments and researchers to explore them as a key to future healthcare solutions. During her 108th inaugural lecture, titled ‘In Search of the Beautiful Ones: Unravelling Phytoceuticals and Phytonutrients in Sleeping Pharmaceutical Giants,’ Oyetayo described these plants as untapped resources capable of transforming healthcare.

Drawing on 28 years of research in food and nutritional biochemistry, Oyetayo focused on edible plants, medicinal plants, and fungi. She emphasized that these natural sources contain bioactive compounds that can prevent and manage chronic diseases. Oyetayo argued that plants should be viewed not just as food but as functional foods rich in phytochemicals that promote health, prevent aging, and offer an alternative to synthetic drugs with potential side effects.

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sleeping pharmaceutical giants capable of transforming healthcare and reducing dependence on expensive orthodox medicines.

Modern science, she noted, increasingly validates the ancient use of medicinal plants. Phytochemicals, or phytoceuticals, found in various plant parts, possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other beneficial properties. Despite Nigeria's rich biodiversity, Oyetayo lamented that only a small fraction of its medicinal plants have been scientifically investigated, leaving thousands of potentially valuable species undiscovered.

Oyetayo's research specifically targets identifying these compounds in underutilized indigenous plants and edible mushrooms. She believes that incorporating diets rich in these local plants could significantly improve public health, lower healthcare costs, and decrease Nigeria's dependence on imported pharmaceuticals. She stressed that many plants currently considered ordinary vegetables or wild species hold immense therapeutic value.

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Out of about 250,000 higher plant species on earth, only about one-third has been adequately investigated, leaving thousands of potentially valuable medicinal plants yet to be discovered and utilised.