JUST a few  years before he died, Dr Oku Ampofo, the first director of the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine at Mampong Akwapim told a journalist during an interview… “…99 out of 100 claims made by Ghanaian traditional healers about the curative powers of (Ghanaian) herbs have been proved to be genuine…”

Today, the late Dr Ampofo’s positive attitude to the use of Ghanaian medicinal plants to cure diseases and or improve the quality of life of the people has been vindicated by the results of various scientific research by pharmacognosists, pharmaceutical chemists and others in the health sector.

One of the key plants used by him at the Mampong Centre was the plant with the botanical name – Cryptolepis. Known in Akan as Nibima, Kadze in Ewe and Gangaman in Hausa.

Cryptolepis is one of the very powerful herbs for the treatment of malaria.

Pharmaceutical industries are currently producing and even exporting the herb in various forms to countries in South Saharan Africa and beyond.

Nibima, Kadze is also available our pharmacies.

It is however sad to know that this important plant is being destroyed by bad environmental practices such as bush burning and deforestation.

By modifying present cultivation practices and systems, it is possible to prevent the destruction of Nibima and other important medicinal plants in the country.