CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Herbs
An herb is a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, medicinal or
other qualities other than its food value (John, 2000). They are used
in cooking, as medicines, and for spiritual purposes. Herbs have a
variety of uses including culinary and medicinal usage. General usage
differs between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs (John, 2000). Herbs
are “generally recognized as safe” by the Food & Drug
Administration (FDA), at least at concentrations commonly found in
foods (Kaefer et al, 2008). Medicinal plants continue to
provide valuable therapeutic agents, both in modern medicine and in
traditional system (Reaven, 1983). The leaves, roots, flowers, seeds,
root bark, inner bark (cambium), berries and sometimes the pericarp or
other portions of the plant might be considered in medicinal or
spiritual use (John, 2000). In the medicinal uses, herbs (plants)
contain phytochemicals that have effects on the body (John, 2000).
Until the 20th century, (Sanusi et al, 2008) most
medicinal remedies all over the world were obtained from plants. For
example, purple forglove was found to be helpful in dropsy, the opium
poppy for pain, cough, and diarrhea, and the cinchona bark for fever.
With the emergence of chemical and pharmacological methods in the 20th
century, it became possible to identify the active ingredients in the
plants and study them. Furthermore, once the chemistry was understood,
it was possible to synthesize related molecules with more desirable
properties. According to (Sodimu et al, 2008), today, the two
most effective and widely accepted drugs for the treatment of malaria
today emerged through herbal traditional medicine viz: Quinine from the
bark of the Peruvian cinchona tree and artemisinin from the Chinese
antipyretic Artemisia annua L. Hence, throughout history, the medicinal
benefits of herbs are quoted (John, 2000). There may be some effects
when consumed in the small levels that typify culinary "spicing", and
some herbs are toxic in larger quantities. For instance, some types of
herbal extract, such as the extract of St. John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum) or of awa (Piper methysticum) can be used for medical purposes to relieve depression and stress (John, 2000). However, (Milner et al,
2008), large amounts of these herbs may lead to toxic overload that
may involve complications, some of a serious nature, and should be used
with caution. One herb-like substance, called Shilajit, may actually
help a lower blood glucose level which is especially important for
those suffering from diabetes.
In comparative terms, (Metuh, 1987) the western idea of medicine
and the traditional African conception differ in scope. In the
traditional sense, it refers to a wholistic view of well being, while
in the western sense, it is strictly limited to bodily therapeutic
purposes. Nze in his own comparative analysis of medicine underscores
the peculiarity difference, which defines the traditional wholistic
perception of medicine (Metuh, 1987).
According to (John, 2000), modern pharmaceuticals had their
origins in crude herbal medicines, and to this day, many drugs are
still extracted as fractionate/isolate compounds from raw herbs and
then purified to meet pharmaceutical standards. Some herbs are used not
only for culinary and medicinal purposes, but also for psychoactive
and/or recreational purposes; one such herb is cannabis (John, 2000).
However, many herbs and their bioactive components are being
investigated for potential disease prevention and treatment at
concentrations which may exceed those commonly used in food preparation
herbs (Milner et al, 2008). It is therefore imperative to
identify any potential safety concerns associated with the use of
various dosages which range from doses commonly used for culinary
purposes to those used for medicinal purposes since there are often
unclear boundaries between the various uses of herbs (Milner et al, 2008).
Other uses of herbs other than medicinal uses are:
Sacred uses:
According to “Chinese herbal medicine” Herbs are used in many religions for example, myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) and frankincense (Boswellia spp) in Christianity, the Nine Herbs Charm in Anglo-Saxon paganism, the Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) by the Tamils, holy basil or tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) in Hinduism, and many Rastafarians consider cannabis (Cannabis sp)
to be a holy plant (John, 2000). Siberian Shamans also used herbs for
spiritual purposes. Plants may be used to induce spiritual experiences,
such as vision quests in some Native American cultures (John, 2000).
The Cherokee Native Americans use sage and cedar for spiritual
cleansing and smudging.
Uses as pest control:
Herbs are also known amongst gardeners to be useful for pest
control. Mint, spearmint, peppermint, and pennyroyal are a few such
herbs. These herbs when planted around a house's foundation can help
keep unwanted critters away such as flies, mice, ants, fleas, moth and
tick amongst others. They are not known to be harmful or dangerous to
children or pets, or any of the house's fixtures (John, 2000).
1.2 Objectives of study
Piper methysticum being a plant used for its medical and social purposes (Johnston et al,
2008), may have been of great benefits in human health due to its
biochemical, pharmacological, and medical properties. This study,
therefore, was undertaken to evaluate the trace – element composition
of the leaf extract.