Maximizing Benefits of Traditional and Alternative Medicine in a Modern Era of Pharmacotherapy

Abstract

Pharmacological benefits of herbal interventions are incontestable and there is widespread use of traditional and alternative medicine across disease conditions and socioeconomic status, on the African continent. While the efficacy of some treatments has been documented, there is a general dearth of information on quality control, potential for drug-drug, and drug-herb interactions. Generating and archiving this information is critical in providing empirical evidence to promote the use of traditional medicine in the modern era of pharmacotherapy. In this review, we provide a historical account of traditional, alternative, and complementary medicine with a focus on Africa. Case studies of clinical use of example products are presented. In addition, we share suggestions towards strengthening and safeguarding the practice of traditional medicine, including evaluating the risk of interactions with conventional drugs, implementation of standardization and quality control measures, to minimize undesirable effects and optimize benefits.