How a herbal drug could be Africa's new weapon against malaria

By Edward Qorro

The British Nobel laureate, Sir Ronald Ross, wasn't exaggerating when he referred to malaria as "O million-murdering Death" after discovering in 1897 that the source of the parasite was the Anopheles mosquito.

Over a century and a quarter later, malaria continues to kill, with Africa bearing a disproportionate burden of the disease.

While timely treatment is effective, side effects and relapses are common. Hence the relentless search for better cures, including alternatives to conventional allopathy.

One such endeavour by researchers at the NM African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in the Tanzanian city of Arusha has yielded a herbal medicine to combat malaria.

This innovative botanical medicine, derived from extracts of the Cedrela odorata plant, a species in the chinaberry family, promises a more natural treatment with minimal side effects, if any.

"It is a natural medicine that doesn't contain chemicals, unlike the drugs used in conventional treatment, Dr Shadrack Daniel, a researcher at NM-AIST, tells TRT Afrika.

The formulation, which still has some way to go before passing clinical trials, employs both top-up and bottom-up approaches using computer technology to evaluate the behaviour of molecules in this otherwise invasive tree species.

The herbal remedy marks the first anti-malaria treatment developed in Africa, specifically in Tanzania, using local herbs.

In collaboration with researchers from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and South Africa, the team at the Arusha-based institution achieved the breakthrough this July after an extensive three-year study.

"We combined the two approaches to identify what works and how," explains Dr Daniel.

Prized asset

Cedrela odorata, native to the West Indies and Central and South America, including the Amazon rainforest, is a fast-growing timber tree.

It has been introduced to many Pacific islands and South Africa, quickly becoming invasive in some areas.

According to the Global Invasive Species Database, the tree can grow up to 40 metres tall with a diameter larger than two metres. Its leaves, which grow up to 80cm long, emit a strong odour resembling onions and garlic.

The species is commercially valuable as timber, mostly for furniture, doors, and windows.

Ongoing research at NM-AIST has added a new, medically significant dimension to Cedrela odorata.

"We are on course with clinical trials before creating and standardising a particular dosage for effective malaria treatment," Dr Daniel tells TRT Afrika.

He believes that once it is rolled out, the herbal medicine could help African countries treat malaria with fewer side effects without compromising on efficacy. "It isn't just a cure; it can also protect against the disease."

Pending approval, the herbal medicine will be introduced first in Tanzania before being scaled up to other malaria-endemic parts of the continent.

The journey to this discovery began in 2021, funded by the O R Tambo Africa Research Chair on the application of nanotechnology in anti-malarial drug delivery.

NM-AIST received $1 million as seed funding through this arrangement.

Collaborating with the UNESCO National Commission in Tanzania and the Ifakara Health Institute, this research chair invests in the discovery of herbal malaria medicine, aiming to host a regional nano-hub and support the commercialisation of malaria drugs.

Continental scourge

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there were an estimated 236 million malaria cases (95% of global cases) and 590,935 malaria deaths (97% of the global figure) in African countries in 2022.

The African Leaders Malaria Alliance reported that four member states — Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Mozambique — account for nearly half of malaria cases worldwide.

Progress in reducing the incidence of malaria remains slow, leaving the continent far behind its target of eliminating the disease by 2030.

Since 2015, malaria incidence has declined by 7.6% and mortality by 11.3%, both of which are short of the African Union's interim goals of 40% reduction by 2020 and 70% by 2025.

Of the 46 member states reporting malaria cases, seven have achieved a 40% reduction in either incidence or mortality.

➤Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.