"to gain an improved understanding of the importance of herbal medicine in our society, from a narrative masterpiece, in which the fantastic and the realistic are combined in a richly composed sequence of insightfulness, reflecting a young scholar's remarkable life and conflicts."   Dr. Kofi Busia

Busia: I left Prempeh in 1980 after admittedly a less memorable sixth form education. Inadequate parental support which resulted in my inability to concentrate effectively, coupled with some teenage crises and poor quality teaching had plagued my sixth-form education. In retrospect, it saddens me to think of how very little my own family knew me for although the tell-tale signs were so evident, it appears nobody had taken notice of the pain and helplessness that laid behind the façade of my make-believe display of happiness and confidence. I am, however, glad to say that in my darkest moments, I could still count on the support of my good friend and Prempeh roommate, Kwoffie S.F., without doubt one of the smartest students I have ever met, as well as that of long time friends such Kennedy Fosu, Drs Addai Mununkum & Nyarko-Adomfe, Addai Mensah (Prempeh GUNSA) and Alpha of Augusco. In view of the time bomb I appeared to be sitting on, I was determined not to have university education in Ghana whatever the outcome of my A-levels. From my hearts of hearts, I felt entry to a Ghanaian university under the prevailing circumstances, would only be a smokescreen to a problem, which was bound to determine my very future. Instead, I remained resolute in my conviction that I had literally come to the end of the road as far as education in Ghana was concerned. Therefore, after two years sojourn in the academic wilderness, during which period even some trusted friends wrote me off, I left the shores of Ghana for the United Kingdom. On my arrival in the UK in January 1983, I surprised many people with my zeal and determination to study, given the intricacies of the immigration requirements at the time and hence the difficulty in accessing funding. However, as if the gods had ordained it, within weeks I had secured a place at London University's Birkbeck College to study medicinal chemistry as all the popular courses were beyond my means. Obviously, this meant working under harsh conditions to support myself, but considering the problems I had had to endure in Ghana, I saw my new world as heaven - a heaven where conditions were just right to bring out the best in any academically minded student. There were plenty of books for wide reading, the facilities were superb, the lecturers were world class, but above all, for once I had absolute control over my own life! I therefore believed from the outset that as far as my insatiable quest for knowledge was concerned, I could fly high to eclipse the stars. Four years of rigorous, but exciting academic work combined with the task of maintaining a full time job and a family, passed with amazing rapidity. I excelled creditably in the final year exams and thus earned a Science & Engineering Research Council scholarship to pursue a PhD programme in Biological Organic Chemistry in the prestigious Christopher Ingold Laboratory at University College, London under the tutelage of the distinguished Oxonian Dr Howard Carless. This was the very laboratory in which Sir W. Ramsay of UCL discovered the noble gases. All this while, I had a strong desire to study medicine, and so immediately after the PhD, I embarked on a massive medical schools application exercise. I was eventually accepted by three institutions, but for some reason I opted for the St George's University School of Medicine in Grenada only to leave after just one semester due to the harsh conditions I encountered on this beautiful island of the Caribbean. Luckily enough, when I returned to England I earned a place on the newly merged medical schools of The Royal London & St Bartholomew Medical Schools at Queen Mary and Westfield College. By 1996, I had spent nearly 13 years in higher education without a break and naturally this stressful existence began to take its toll! As a result, I decided to take a year out to recharge my "batteries" and more importantly to have a critical reflection of what seemed an impossible life. It was at this stage that I was attracted into herbal medicine.

I am currently a Senior Lecturer and Module leader for Herbal Pharmacology, Herbal Pharmacy and Pharmacognosy. I am also pioneering a piece of research with one PhD student on the therapeutic utility of antioxidant containing herbs in the treatment of ageing and age-related disease. Who knows in the foreseeable future, I will discover the elixir of age!

prempeh.org: Please tell us about the case of the matrons during your prefectship. What led to it all? And what was the conclusion?

Busia: Prempeh had two matrons at the time, who felt untouchable because of their powerful connections at the Ministry of Education. These matrons presided over a very corrupt dinning hall empire, which was almost impenetrable. Some kitchen staff had worked there for nearly 20 years and saw it as their second home or indeed as their personal property. The quality of food was frequently poor and on a number of occasions, inadequate food was served at some tables. Efforts made to address these niggling problems proved futile as the matrons had no respect for the prefects. Legitimate complaints were arrogantly frowned upon and it became obvious that the matrons had very little regard for the headmaster of the day M.K. Atiemo. As a result, when the problems of pilfering and the creation of artificial shortages reached a crescendo, the Headmaster accepted our request for the appointment of an "ambassador", to the dinning hall in the person of O.D., to oversee the day-to-day running of the kitchen. By the help of this man, many malpractices at the kitchen were revealed and suddenly food shortages were a thing of the past! It emerged that for quite sometime, food meant for students had been diverted to the homes of kitchen staff under the connivance of the matrons. In fact pilfering had become an acceptable culture at the kitchen and the situation where staff regularly took food home was the norm. In spite of the unco-operative attitude that he encountered from the kitchen staff, O.D. was so efficient in his duties that he endeared himself to the hearts of the entire student body and so we the dinning hall prefects thought it fit to reward him with presents of clothes, shoes, soaps, milk, sardines, etc. donated by students, at a ceremony held in the dinning hall at the last supper before the christmas break in 1979. In our frustration, the three dinning-hall prefects got together with the three Senior Prefects, and with the consent of the prefect body, adopted a 10-point resolution demanding the dismissal of the matrons and a complete overhaul of the kitchen administration. The resolution was copied to the Regional Director of Education, the Headmaster, the matrons themselves, the Presidents of Amanfoo Old Boys Associations on the campuses of the then three universities, and of course the National President of the Old Students Association. On receiving our resolution, the Regional Director of Education invited us to his office, but on the day of this meeting, we arrived at the regional Office only to meet one of the matrons parading the corridors of the Regional Director. This came as a complete surprise to our delegation, and made us the more angry. We saw this as a blatant display of arrogance and a test of our resolve and power. We were therefore more determined than ever to press ahead with our demands and not allow these women to take the destiny of our great school into their hands. In his own diplomatic way, the Director tried every means possible to persuade us to drop the matter with the promise of probing the entire Prempeh administrative machinery to halt the rot that he felt was eaten away the flesh of this great institution. Although we knew this would have been a brilliant idea, we felt since the A-level exams was imminent, this would be a disruptive exercise and rather insisted on our demand for the dismissal of the matrons. Meanwhile, a series of meetings between staff, students and the matrons often chaired by the headmaster had been going on, but each of these meetings always ended in acrimony, as apart from the Headmaster, all interested parties (The Senior Housemaster Mr Attrams, the two Assistant Headmasters and the bursar) were behind the matrons. In our hearts of hearts, we knew that Atiemo was not blameless, but we were heartened by the efforts he had made to help resolve the matter amicably and the immense help he had given us. The Director of Education in a rather unusual move offered to meet the student body at the school one evening, but considering the tension that had been brewing on campus we advised against that. The spectre of the Regional Director of Education being booed by Prempeh boys would be too much to bear. Instead we decided that he met an adhoc Student Representative Council comprising of the prefects and the class prefects. It was a really charged meeting which generated a lot of heated exchanges and it was in this tense atmosphere that the late Archimedes appealed for calm with the words " we should not allow our emotions to override our conscience ". At the end of the meeting, having failed to persuade us to institute a probe into the entire Prempeh administrative machinery, he offered to transfer the matrons to some sister schools (Dompoase and KUMACA to be precise) much to the delight of all.

prempeh.org: What made you think that a Student Representative Council was necessary?

Busia: It came as a surprise to all of us at this time that a school like Prempeh had no formal Student Representative Council to deliberate on student issues. It became clear that the system whereby prefects, who had been selected by the Headmaster and his staff, had to be the main mouthpiece of the students at all levels was fundamentally flawed and needed to be reviewed! How could a Senior Prefect who had been hand-picked by the Headmaster of the day turn round to criticise his "boss" for any wrongdoing? With the lessons of the matrons' "debacle", it was unanimously agreed that an SRC was badly needed to champion the cause of the students.

prempeh.org: Who were the key players in this significant contribution to Prempeh College history?

Busia: The key players to the formation of this SRC were myself, Antwi S.L. (SP); late Kwaku Berchie (ASP 1); Abrokwah A.D.Y. (ASP 2); Bonsu O.A. (DHP) and Kwame Osei-Wusu (DHP 2). Obviously, the SP was made the President of the council and because of my contribution during the matrons' issue, I was appointed the secretary.

prempeh.org: Why Herbal Medicine?

Busia: I have to admit I went into herbal medicine by default rather than design! Although my grandmother was a renowned herbal gynaecologist and the story is told that somewhere in the 60s she was often drafted to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to assist in difficult deliveries, this was not the triggering factor. I was only attracted to it when I visited the UK's Middlesex University to inquire about their nursing programme for a friend only to find that a Western university was offering a course like this. The attractions were just mouth-watering and the prospects limitless! There was the prospect of specialising in a medically related discipline in a relatively short period; there was the huge potential of making a mark in an almost unexplored field; there was also the joy of contributing to pushing back the frontiers of the medicine of our ancestors and in fact the excitement of being in a health profession in which the therapists could also make their own medicines. I found the prospect of being in one of the most compassionate health professions irresistible! My immediate reaction therefore was to apply for it! Again, like the turning point in the summer of 1980, many friends thought this decision senseless, but I am glad to say that today the same people are saluting what they call my vision and thoughtfulness. Initially, because I was granted Advanced Standing, I only intended taking a two-year leave of absence from the medical school to do this course, but this was not to be-I was appointed to a lectureship position in my second semester, and with it free tuition and other benefits which no sensible person could refuse. As a result, although I am now doing the USMLE with a view to finishing off the medical training, I still think my future is now tied with Western Herbal Medicine.

prempeh.org: People have a distorted view of what herbal medicine is about. When they hear about herbal medicine, the first thing that comes to mind is some "mallam" selling "bitters". How do you convince our people about this subject's importance in our society?

Busia: I don't think our people need any convincing for after all about 60% of the world's population, mainly from the underdeveloped world live on herbs. Herbal medicine is a scientific discipline in its own right! The problem is herbalism in our part of the world is all too often linked to fetishism/shamanism so that the herbalist is also seen as having supernatural powers. Yes, it is true to say that our form of herbal medicine seems shrouded in mysticism and secrecy, but I am afraid western herbalism, appropriately called medical herbalism is not like that! In fact on our course students study two years of intensive medical science including anatomy, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, pharmacognosy and hebal therapeutics etc., followed by two more years of clinical training which involves a thorough programme of clinical & diagnostic skills alongside advanced material medica and therapeutics. Superimposed on this is the training given in herbal pharmacy and pharmacology-the foundation of western herbalism. From this you can see that the product at the end of the training is a well-rounded student whose knowledge and skills cannot be matched by the average general practitioner/physician out there. So to go back to your question, herbal medicine is not some "mallam" selling "bitters"! Rather it is a refinement of this most ancient of therapies in which a clear distinction is made between shamanism and the use of scientific principles to explain and validate the huge therapeutic utility of plants in the fight against disease causation. Remember modern medicine originated from herbal medicine!

With regard to herbal pharmacology, I must emphasise that although it is only one of several courses one has to study to become an effective herbalist, it is arguably the pivot around which Western medical herbalism revolves! Know the synergistic actions of the constituents present in your herbs and believe me you have a cure for almost every human ailment!! However, it is not as simple as that! In fact, to be a good herbal pharmacologist requires a solid knowledge of the medical sciences together with a good understanding of chemistry and this is where I seem to have a competitive advantage. Currently, there are only about eight very good herbal pharmacologists in Europe and I am proud to say, I am one of these privileged few!

The sad reality is that as a result of our colonial experience, we have been so much deculturalised to the extent that we are often too ready to accept foreign models as our ideals, sometimes ignoring some finer aspects of our civilisation. I remember many years ago taking a decoction of ginger for the common cold only to be told by a doctor friend that this was primitive practice! Our forebears had known the use of ginger for the common cold and as an anti-emetic agent many centuries ago, but it was only in the latter part of the last century that western clinicians saw its therapeutic value! I don't think anything is more primitive and barbaric than a doctor who prescribes medicines banned in the western world for want of its toxic effects to a patient in our country just because there is no alternative! So really it is not for me to convince people; in fact you cannot convince a people who have been so badly "indoctrinated". Instead what is needed is proper education-the kind of education that nurtures the soul, that which makes one proud of what they have, indeed the kind of education, which enables the individual to exploit their creative talents for the good of society. And I think this is exactly what the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has began in introducing the novel degree in herbal medicine, the first of its kind on the African continent! It is hoped that once the products of this school find themselves in the work environment, they will by their deeds dispel some of the myths surrounding the practice of African herbal medicine.

prempeh.org: When did you first discover that this is where your calling lies?

Busia: As I pointed out earlier, my association with Middlesex University triggered this interest, but I would be hesitant to say that this is where my calling lies because I have acquired other skills, which I could equally see as my calling. For example from my experience at Prempeh vis-a-vis the solid education I have had in this country, I can say that good teaching is a pre-requisite to a good education and in fact a good education is the foundation of a great nation. It is a well known fact that teaching at Prempeh during the late 1970s to the early 80s (save for a few subjects) was not the best. In the main, teachers were demoralised and were rather interested in finding avenues of leaving the country. Some teachers never even bothered to update their notes only relying on antiquated teaching materials for the delivery of their subjects. Indeed, teaching was relatively sub-standard, disappointing, and mediocre to say the least! To make matters worse, in 1979 the Graduate Teachers Association of Ghana embarked on the longest strike action for better pay conditions to the extent where for a greater part of the lower sixth form, some tutors refused to turn up for classes. Interestingly, many Amanfoo went about their studies without complaining because I believe everybody just felt privileged to be part of the Prempeh experience. The problem for most students, however, was that there were no quality textbooks anywhere in the country if even one wanted to do self-directed learning. The fact that many Amanfoo still did well in their final exams is testament to their fortitude and intellectual aptitude.

I am currently a member of a teacher's co-operative here in the UK and as a result, each year during term time I go to the homes of students from all backgrounds to teach Physics, Chemistry & Biology at both GCSE & A-levels and Maths at GCSE. I have taught students of Chinese, Jewish, Indian and English origin and believe you me I find this work more rewarding than any of the jobs I do. To me nothing is more rewarding than getting a phone call in late August from an excited and grateful student telling you of his/her 9 grade As at GCSE or his/her As & Bs in the A-levels! This unique experience has equipped me with superb teaching and interpersonal skills, which have reinforced my herbal practice and teaching at the university. Therefore besides what you describe as my calling, I feel I can also contribute effectively and productively to secondary school science education in Ghana in the foreseeable future.

prempeh.org: Can you please give us a historical overview of how things were or how things might have been before Europeans first came to our part of the world? How were our ancestors healing themselves?

Busia: Before the advent of European colonisation, our forebears had learnt that the environment consisted of two parts, the physical world (seen) and the spiritual or supernatural world (unseen). It was widely held that the unseen spiritual world exerted a powerful influence over the visible world. Ancient man believed that certain supernatural forces ultimately responsible to the great divine-God, the Father of Creation, controlled the activities of the physical world. And thus began the concept of religion which has permeated our society and indeed every society the world over. In our part of the world, ancestral or idol worship prevailed among the people and even today some religious rituals of old still persist in the form of thanksgiving services, harvest festivals, etc. Our ancestors believed that there was divine control of the universe and that this divinity could be contacted for explanation of past, present and future events. As it was not given to everyone to make this contact, it required people who by magical or supernatural means could do so. A technique of divination therefore came into being, with experts claiming great proficiency. Besides the ability to assign the reason for a particular illness, some of these diviners were also able to suggest a remedy. Indeed some knew a lot about animals and plants with medicinal properties and could claim to have been the first doctors. However, among our ancestors, the man who cured illnesses was considered more as a magician than a doctor. Since the dawn of creation, man has had to grapple with a range of afflictions and have ceaselessly searched for suitable remedies of plant and animal sources to cure them. They claimed that some of the knowledge of herbs came to them through visions and dreams. Others claimed that their knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants was gained by witnessing two animals tearing the hell out of each other and seeing the victor subsequently attending to the vanquished with a particular plant remedy. Whatever the source, they were able with time to build up a pharmacopoeia of useful remedies, which have been handed down the ages. The knowledge of these practitioners used in diagnosing, preventing and eliminating physical, mental and social imbalance relied exclusively on practical experience and observations.

prempeh.org: What about the last century? What significant inroads have been made in this field?

Busia: The last century, saw interesting developments in herbal medicine. The huge advances in science and technology had a great impact on plant medicine as the screening of plants for medicines intensified. There was and continue to be large-scale screening programmes of plant extracts from Africa, the Amazon rainforest, Australia, New Zealand and the Asian sub-continent. Indeed many of the potent drugs discovered in the last century were of plant origin. Other discoveries, like many medical breakthroughs, were made through serendipity. Today the ancient remedies of the shamans and witch doctors have found their way into modern scientific laboratories that are at the cutting edge of drug development and medical research. Compelling evidence of their phytopharmacological efficacy, are being utilised in the fight to conquer some of the killer diseases of the civilised world: cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, among others. The last century also saw the re-birth of Medicinal Chemistry, which had remained dormant since the time of Paracelsus (the man widely acclaimed as the Father of Botany), and now innovative natural product research is a Nobel Prize winner!

prempeh.org: Where do you think the field is heading now?

Busia: With the resurgence of interest in herbal medicine, the future could only be expected to be exciting. For the records, when Middlesex University started their course it was the first of its kind in a western university, but today there are about 4 universities in the UK alone offering it. The United States' Bastyr University, the first naturopathic institution in the world, began a full herbal medicine degree programme in 2000 and as I have already mentioned the KNUST of Ghana began theirs in October 2001. There are also exciting research programmes solely based on the cultivation, extraction and manufacturing of plant remedies going on in places such as Harvard, Cornell, Oxford, London, India and indeed many reputable universities across the globe. The only slight danger I foresee is the possibility of powerful pharmaceutical companies 'hijacking' the field. The fact is there is a vast difference between medicinal plants as an entity and plant extracts and because of the controversy surrounding the patenting of plants, the easiest option for commercial gain is usually to extract the so-called active ingredients or synthesise their derivatives. However, whereas there is a case for making extracts of otherwise toxic plants such as foxglove to lessen their toxicity, the extracts of most herbs become unstable, toxic or ineffective than when present in the parent herb. We also know that the constituents of medicinal plants work synergistically to balance/enhance the effect of one another or more importantly to offset the toxic potential of one another. So our argument is that extracts whether standardised or non-standardised is not the way forward! If a plant works better in its whole state regardless of the multiplicity of compounds present in it, why complicate matters by extracting its ingredients? I have to say given the awesome power of the pharmaceutical companies and the medical world as a whole, they will eventually have their own way regardless! And when that time comes, the concept of synergy, which lies at the very heart of true herbal medicine, will be lost forever. As an example, there are currently hundreds of products on the market being touted as herbal medicines for all sorts of illnesses, but if you care to analyse these, you will be shocked at the revelation. A lot of them are nothing but hocus-pocus, with either insignificant levels of anything herbal or absolutely no herbal characteristics. This, I am afraid will be the lot of the herbal industry.

prempeh.org: There is a "sea" of information out there. How does one go about making discovery in billions of possible combinations of potential therapeutic derivatives out there?

Busia: Yes you are right! The information out there is phenomenal! But within this "sea" of information are a few credible ones. In Europe the Germans have made huge in-roads into the field so sources of German origin (most of which have been translated into English) will be a good beginning. The German Commission E Monographs could be extremely useful, but what it falls short of is the herbal therapeutics; it is not very strong on the science of herbal formulation and diagnostics. This problem appears to have been addressed by a book currently on the market called Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy written by Simon Mills and Kerry Bone. There is also a wide range of journals such as Herbagram, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, The European Journal of Herbal Medicine, Planta Medica, the Journal of Phytotherapy. Other relevant reference sources include the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and Therapeutics Compendium, The European Herbal Pharmacopoeia, the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, and very recently our own Ghana Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Regarding Chinese medicine, there are many non-subject specific books, which may be of interest if you could get your head around the "yin" and "yang" terminology. But for researchers, a 1024 page book I recently reviewed, entitled Traditional Chinese Medicine: Molecular Structures, Natural Sources and Applications, by X.Yan et al could be extremely useful. The sources are endless, but I think for the uninitiated, these would be a very useful beginning. In fact, no single book addresses all the needs of students at the moment so I am in the process of writing one, which will serve this purpose; watch this space!!!

prempeh.org: Are there any funding sources for any work in this field?

Busia: Yes there is, but very limited! This is because as it is widely known, plants are not "patentable", and hence the commercial gains are erroneously perceived to be minimal. Moreover, plant research as it stands now, is a very laborious and expensive business, with often frustrating results. On the contrary, the cultivation and processing of whole herbs is incredibly cheap, but there is the might of the pharmaceutical companies to contend with. What will happen to the shares of Pfizer, SmithKline Beecham, Merck, Sharp and Dome, etc., if cheaper alternatives to their brand products in the form of herbs are promoted? There are surely vested interests out there, which will be vigorously pursued so long as these companies exist. Don't forget that in the pursuit of wealth, narrow selfish interest is often placed above the welfare of mankind. Saying that the WHO and EU have some funds for the promotion of herbal medicine in the third world. And here in the UK the Foundation for Complementary Medicine, the Arthritis Research Foundation and a few others, have been quite generous. When it comes to funding for innovative research, I think you can't beat the Americans so I believe one will have more success with American organisations, but I must admit I haven't tried that yet. My PhD student is being funded by a scholarship from the University Research Fund.

prempeh.org: What about commercial interests? Plants are not patentable, are they?

Busia: Yes, there is a huge commercial interest out there, but at the same time there is more quackery than there is true herbal medicine. This is because of the expensive protocols one has to go through before one can put a formula, about which a justifiable claim can be made on the market. It costs about L20000 for a herb to qualify for product licence here in the UK and because only pharmaceutical companies can afford it, they will rather invest in aspirin than willow bark for example, for the reasons I have already outlined. To get around this problem what people do is to put together a group of extracts, which can be freely marketed so long as no medical claims are made! As a result, you find a lot of remedies being marketed as herbal, when indeed they are nothing more than a cocktail of ineffective or in some unfortunate cases lethal compounds! So the commercial interest is vast, but it might require government legislation be it here in the West or Africa, for equity of funding/investment and promotion as a whole. The quackery I mentioned earlier is even more frightening in our own country, where a lot of impostors, preying on the vulnerabilities of the people have flooded the market with all sorts of remedies in the name of herbal medicine. The question is will a people so shrouded in superstition, mysticism, and ignorance permit a scientific discipline like herbal medicine to flourish to the detriment of their "industry"?

prempeh.org: Can you tell us any success stories- therapeutic agents extracted from plants that are on the market today and how they have added to the advancement of health?

Busia: There are countless success stories all of which cannot be told in a forum like this, but I will mention a few:

• The antiasthmatic drug Intal (sodium cromoglycate) and the heart drugs amiodarone (arrhythmia) and nifedipine (angina and hypertension) were synthesised from khellin (Ammi visnaga), used traditionally by the Mediterraneans for kidney stones.
• The local anaesthetic lignocaine was found from a chemical study of barley
• Anticoagulant drug (warfarin) came from studying sweet clover disease in cattle
• From the herb Artemisia annua, which has been used in China for centuries, as a traditional remedy for malaria has been extracted artemisinin. This drug may be used to treat chloroquine-resistant cerebral malaria.
• The antiasthmatic drug theophylline was extracted from tea (Camellia sinensis). It is also used to limit excess blood production after a kidney transplant.
• The anti-cancer drugs vincristine and vinblastine were obtained from the Madagascar periwinkle.
• Others include digitalis (Foxglove); aspirin (Meadowsweet); quinine and quinidine (Peruvian bark); ergometrine and ergotamine (Ergot); ephedrine (Ma-Huang); carbenoxalone (Liquorice); codeine, diamorphine (Opium poppy); reserpine (snakeroot), taxol (Pacific yew), etc.
• St John's Wort-antidepressant; thought to be more effective than prozac
• Feverfew for migraine
• Valerian as an anxiolytic and for insomnia
• Ginseng for stress and performance enhancing agent
• Ginkgo as a circulatory stimulant to aid memory, strokes, etc.

With regard to St John's Wort, there have been attempts to standardise the active ingredient (hypericin) only to find later that hyperforin may rather be its main active principle. Personally, I have successfully helped women with fertility problems, ulcerative colitis and excessive/scanty menstrual bleeding. The references I mentioned earlier are rife with many of such success stories.

prempeh.org: Can you tell us about any diseases out there that could be treated by herbal derivatives or herbs themselves?

Busia: Herbs in the main respond better to chronic conditions; in fact conditions where there is no definable pathology. They have been found extremely useful as an adjunct to chemotherapy. As you well know the battering effect of chemotherapy on the liver influences the prognosis of cancer treatment and often what these herbs do is to support the liver to deal with the toxic overload. Herbs are also very effective for gynaecological, digestive and skin problems as well as neuroendocrine conditions. The successful treatment of eczema, dermatitis, ulcerative colitis, asthma, infertility, diabetes, hypertension, fibroids, some forms of mental illness, just to mention but a few, are well known.

prempeh.org: Do you have any partnership with any Ghanaian institution or health agency?

Busia: Yes, I have established collaborative links with the Akuapem Mampong Centre for Research into Plant Medicine and only last year one of our students went there on placement. I hope to make this a permanent feature as I feel it will help the centre generate funds, to support their work. We are also in the final stages of setting up collaborative links with the new department of herbal medicine at the KNUST. This initiative if successful will lead to staff and student exchange as well as research collaboration. Moreover, I have made friends at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine at the KNUST, the department of chemistry at the University of Ghana and the Noguchi Centre for Medical Research with the sole objective of sharing and promoting our common research interest.

prempeh.org: What about a futuristic perspective of your own career? Are you relocating to Ghana anytime soon?

Busia: Yes, relocation to Ghana is the ultimate goal, but I am not in a rush! The first reason is that I am working hard at getting my name to a few publications in the field, and this as you know cannot be done in one year! Secondly, the work culture in Ghana is a little worrying and unfortunately, too idealistic individuals are often not tolerated. I find the conservative, laid-back attitude to work, which characterises most institutions in Ghana off-putting. And lastly, I feel in this day and age academic excellence is meaningless if it is not complemented by financial rewards. As things stand now, I may be intellectually equipped, but I can't say that financially. Therefore, I think given the present economic climate of Ghana, it will be suicidal for me to relocate now. So I will be relocating, but the conditions will have to be about right first!!!!