The place of herbal medicine in the treatment of malaria in Ghana

Abstract

Malaria remains the greatest single infectious disease threat to the health of the world. Third world countries are the worst affected. Malaria is characterized by fever and it is now well established that it is caused by sporozoa of the genuis Plasmodium. Fevers are common in the tropics and the causes are legion. Malaria undoubtedly is one of (he common causes of fever. Man has recognized and utilized plants as medicine to control fevers for generations. In Ghana, several plants have been used and are being used in the treatment of fevers including malaria. Until recently very little work has gone on to screen medicinal plants used for fever in folklore. The story of quinine from the bark of the South American plant, Cinchona, is well known. Another important antimalarial of plant origin widely used in China since the 10th century and in clinical use today is qinghaosu (Artemesia annual.)