He said currently, there was no standard in determining the dosage of herbal medicines, adding, “At the end, some people may be suffering from under-dose while others will be suffering from overdose.”

 

Professor Nyarko, who made the call at the first memorial lecture of Professor Marian Ewurama Addy at Legon, said in addition to that, “We have to tackle the belief system. Some people think that because they supposingly had the herbs in a dream from the gods there is no need for scientific testing. That is not true.”

 

Scientific transformation

 

He called for a scientific transformation of plant medicine with more emphasis on standards, method of collection, production and packaging to make it attractive for people to patronise.

 

Professor Nyarko challenged scientists to apply scientific methods to indigenous knowledge to help their communities, saying that some people thought there was no science in indigenous knowledge, “but let me tell you there is science in everything we do”.

 

On conservation of medicinal plants, Professor Nyarko bemoaned the practice of indiscriminate “killing of the environment” in the process of collecting the raw materials.

 

Her dream

 

He recalled the efforts made in research into plant medicine by Professor Addy and urged the scientific community to help keep the dreams of Professor Addy alive by continuing her unfinished business of research into plant medicine.

 

Professor Nyarko, who was Professor Addy’s student, eulogised his former lecturer, describing her as an icon and important factor in plant medicine research in the country.

 

“She made herself, her knowledge and skill/expertise in science relevant to plant medicine research, contributing immensely through her research output and training of scientists in the field.

 

“We have to emulate her example and contribute towards the unfinished business in plant medicine and other Ghanaian indigenous knowledge systems,” Professor Nyarko said.

 

What Professor Addy stood for

 

He said Professor Addy brought science and technology to bear on indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants she investigated, adding that she whipped up interest in plant medicine research and popularised the application of science to plant medicine in academia.

 

Professor Nyarko said Professor Addy stood for excellence in medicinal plant research and contributed to placing the University of Ghana and Ghana on the world map of scholarship.