Ilorin: Prof. Adeola Kola-Mustapha of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Industrial Pharmacy, University of Ilorin, has called on indigenous pharmaceutical companies to combine natural and synthetic medicines to improve the health outcomes of Nigerian patients. Kola-Mustapha made the appeal during the 285th Inaugural Lecture of the university on Thursday, titled 'Rooted in Nature, Refined by Science: A New Horizon in Advanced Drug Delivery.'
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Kola-Mustapha emphasized that the role of the pharmacist extends beyond dispensing to include researching, preparing, and ensuring the safe and effective use of medications. She has devoted herself to developing pharmaceutical formulations and enhancing their delivery to ensure the optimal activity of active drug ingredients. She highlighted that a good formulation is as crucial as a good active ingredient and that the role of a formulation scientist is significant in determining the success of a drug product.
She further explained that no medicine is perfect and continuous improvement is necessary. Advancements in pharmaceutical science should support the integration of both synthetic and natural drugs. Kola-Mustapha mentioned that even widely used synthetic drugs like ibuprofen could be enhanced with refined, naturally derived compounds. The shift towards natural products arises from understanding their limitations and exploring how they can be combined with synthetic options to improve healthcare outcomes.
Kola-Mustapha noted that natural and synthetic medicines are complementary. By reformulating natural remedies into modern dosage forms like emulgels and suppositories, they could gain wider acceptance and improved effectiveness. She stated that enhancing traditional medicine with naturally occurring excipients redefines its perception, strengthens therapeutic effects, reduces production challenges, and creates a synergistic benefit that surpasses the effects of either treatment alone.
She also stressed the importance of commercializing the blended formulations for wider societal use, noting that Nigerians are eager to embrace high-quality, locally produced medicines.