Essential Medicine Sheabutter

Sheabutter, Butyrum Medicinalis (q. vide, Paracelsus Transactions 2018;2:1-18 https://archive.org/details/Par.Trans.2118/mode/2up ), is now officially recognized as a medicinal substance in Ghana. It is currently listed in the Ghana Essential Medicines List (Ministry of Health/Ghana National Drugs Programme, 2017) in page 23 among miscellaneous medicinal substances for treatment of dermatological diseases.

 Advocates of the “green pharmacy” movement are delighted and hail the entire Ghana national formulary committee for this bold policy initiative.

 The listing of Sheabutter in the group of miscellaneous dermatological products simply means that further studies are required to clarify its medicinal properties, and this is where collaborative effort is needed. The Ghanaian pharmacist owes a duty to the nation to lead by developing methods for extraction of the pure substance and formulation of Sheabutter into dosage forms conforming to the pharmaceutical standards of modern times. Academics can intervene with scientific studies to further characterise the chemical and physical properties of this product as well as participate in multidisciplinary teams for conducting clinical trials on it, and medical doctors are to contribute by trying Sheabutter and formulations based on it on their patients for therapeutic uses.

 Sheabutter is eaten as cooking fat in traditional cuisines. There is in addition to this numerous anecdotal reports about its medicinal usefulness, including the following;

•  Relieves pain and prevents blister formation when applied to scalded skin. 

•  Cures acneiform lesions. 

•  Relieves pain and consolidates boils. 

•  Effective as massage aid for treating musculoskeletal pain. 

•  Relieves pain and inflammation arising from insect stings. 

•  Relieves pains and swelling caused by physical injuries. 

•  Effective for keeping the skin soft and supple. 

•  Effective for treating allergic nasal conditions. 

 The story of Sheabutter will be the story of how a developing nation could employ its indigenous natural resources to its economic advantage. A country such as Ghana is strong enough to compete on the global arena only if it depends heavily on its own indigenous resources and human capacity. In listing Sheabutter as an essential medicine the Ghana national formulary committee has demonstrated good leadership. Now duty beckons to all well-meaning Ghanaians, especially the technical and health professional class, to join the front to push this national agenda forward.