ABU professor develops antimalarial drugs ‘from common herbs’

Umar Katsayel, a professor at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has developed two antimalarial drugs which he says can compete with other relevant drugs in the treatment of malarial parasites.

Katsayel disclosed this in an interview with NAN in Sandamu, near Daura, on Monday.

According to him, the drugs were developed from the roots of cissampelos mucronata plant and the stem-bark of plumeria rubra plant.

The don at the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences added that “they are common herbs found around the vicinity”.

He said the drugs were subjected to various laboratory examinations to determine their efficacy and toxicity before consumption.

“We would soon make the drugs public after certifying the obvious certification process with the relevant regulatory bodies,” he said.

He said the development of the drugs was a product of years of hard academic researches and investigations.

“We would redouble our efforts to develop as many drugs as possible,” he said.

Katsayel commended the management of the university for giving him the enabling environment to achieve the feat.

He urged fellow academics to intensify efforts on research so as to fast track the socio-economic development of the nation.

According to NAN, Katsayel is a former member of the federal house of representatives who represented the Sandamu, Maiadua and Daura federal constituency.