Phytomedicines, Functional foods, Nutraceuticals and their regulation in Africa.
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29 August 2022
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The untapped wealth of the plant kingdom is a prospective target for drug and food multinationals and research institutes for novel drugs, lead compounds, potential nutraceuticals and functional foods. Its use for achieving nutritional and therapeutic effects is strongly anchored in the African culture. Although the belief that risks associated with botanical drugs and functional foods are relatively low, pharmacological and toxicological studies complemented with adequate standardization, chemical consistency at all stages of manufacturing processes, stability, and quality control procedures are mandatory. With spurt of interest and the emerging market for botanical drugs, nutraceuticals and functional foods in Africa, it is imperative that related guidelines and regulations be extended and harmonized across the whole African continent. This chapter provides an update on the status of these products on the African continent and highlights some of the difficulties still impeding their development into a potential major economic pillar for Africa.