By Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
Prof. Olayinka Anthony Awoyinka, has suggested that step should be taken to unravel the genetic knowledge of the ubiquitous β-amylase discovered from Nigerian maize.
He made the suggestion while delivering the 80th Inaugural lecture of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, titled: “Exploring Underutilized Local Fibre: Panacea for Economical and Healthy Foods”.
He said this is expedient as it would further reveal its expression pattern before effort is directed to genetic manipulation on the amino acid sequence revealed in the study of scientists.
He revealed that positive results obtained from his studies with other scientists, proved that well controlled diets with use of probiotics and prebiotics from neglected underutilized local plants can serve as a major non-pharmacologic option for the treatment on metabolic disorder such as obesity and diabetes.
“Nigeria and other African countries need to do more to properly identify, recognize and position underutilized plant food in our disease control strategies. This is what countries like China and India have done to commercialize the bioactive compounds derived from their medicinal food plants as nauturaceuticals.
“The future of disease management has been directed towards the development and use of natural products combined with medical methods as well as other health science and biotechnology techniques such as diet and nutrition, genetic engineering and phyto-pharmacy”, he said.
He then recommended the conduct ethno botanical surveys to document our underutilized local fibre, collaboration between research institutes and higher institutions to explore the plants with adequate fund for research and prioritize elucidation of mechanism of action to biologically active extracts from the fibres in clinical investigations.
Photos at the event:
