UB Chemist vows to mainstream herbal knowledge

In 1999 a man from Mogoditshane with claims to have a cure for HIV/AIDS approached the University of Botswana (UB) and asked researchers to examine his product and verify his claim. This man had attracted a significant following and many believed in his ‘cure’.

The idea of an HIV cure coming from an uneducated man living in a village was ridiculous, and as such no funds were spared for the investigation. To Dr. David Tanyala Takuwa, an analytical chemist and lecturer at UB, that was a terrible oversight.

Though it was clear to him that the village man’s herbs could not be a cure, he figured that there must be substances in the herbs with some effect on HIV. Analysis of the supposed cure might have given insight on compounds with activity on HIV, possibly leading to development of refined treatment products. However, no research was ever done and knowledge of the Mogoditshane man’s herbs was lost.

Today Dr. Takuwa focuses all his scientific acumen into investigating traditional herbal knowledge. He has filtered through forests of information from his laboratory showing that the lore of herbalists should not be easily dismissed.
Currently, he has three PhD students doing research which will develop methods to identify indigenous plants with therapeutic properties.

One of the students, Margaret Mkambamkhami’s investigations is focused on researching on diabetes. Anitha Immaculate is investigating anticancer properties, and Abibu Moshood is analysing vitamin content and has collaborated with Mr Kakanda, a herbalist living in Francistown, and are working on producing green chemistry pesticides. The pesticides they are developing unlike synthesized pesticides will not be a pollutant and will thus be safe for the environment.

The greatest challenge Dr. Takuwa has faced so far is lack of funding but that doesn’t discourage him. He is optimistic about the future and certain that more people will come to appreciate the value of research.

President, Lt Gen Dr Ian Khama speaking at the African Academy of Science conference in Kasane earlier this year said, “Africans should have more innovations relevant to Africa.” These sentiments, he said have given him some hope.

Also, UB has an initiative for community projects. Through this initiative, members of the community seeking to refine their traditional knowledge with the empiricism of science can be engaged. This initiative however only freely serves those with the desire to empower their communities and not those pursuing their self-interests.

The intellectual property developed through this initiative is retained by the community; the university along with the scientists working at UB make no claim to it. Through this initiative Dr. Takuwa investigated the cosmetic properties of donkey milk. His research led to the production of a whole range of donkey milk products including soaps, lotions, and creams.

Mr Olefile Sebonego, whose keen eye for business had him take interest in donkey milk research, is now working on establishing large scale donkey milk farming in Botswana. He has been successful in Mmathethe, Moshupa, and Francistown; and he is determined to keep going till Botswana becomes an exporter of cosmetic products.