By Oluwafemi Adeleke Ojo
A Nigerian biochemist, Dr. Oluwafemi Adeleke Ojo, is putting familiar food on a serious scientific footing. In his peer-reviewed work titled “Exploring beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) for diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer’s disease dual therapy”, his team revealed how the use of modern laboratory assays and computer simulations to reveal the natural compounds of beetroot can affect multiple biological targets relevant to both type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
The research does not claim a cure; however it lays out a rigorous, step-by-step route from garden plants to standardized, testable health products.
The kind that can be studied in clinical trials, priced affordably, and made locally to international standards.
Why this research and why now?
Nigeria faces a growing burden of diabetes, with complications that damage the kidneys, liver, eyes, and nerves. As Nigeria’s population ages, the prevalence of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is expected to rise as well.
Many families struggle with limited access to specialist care and the high cost of long-term medicines.
At the same time, Nigeria has rich biodiversity and a population that already trusts medicinal plants.
Ojo’s motivation was simple and urgent: can we apply top-tier science to familiar plants so that, where appropriate, they become safe, standardized, affordable adjuncts to care rather than guesswork?
What the beetroot study actually did:
His research team tested beetroot via a two-pronged approach –
• In vitro pharmacology: Laboratory assays against key diabetes carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes (such as α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which drive postmeal sugar spikes) and Alzheimer’s-relevant targets (such as cholinesterase and monoamine oxidases linked to memory and cognition) were performed.
• Computational modeling: Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were then used to determine whether beetroot flavonoids can bind stably to those targets under realistic conditions.
The results revealed that certain beetroot compounds consistently engaged multiple targets across both diseases, providing a dual-therapy rationale.
This suggests that beetroot can be prioritized for further development not because it is “natural” but because its chemistry maps to the biology we care about.
What does this mean for health care in Nigeria?
• Affordable adjunctive therapy, not miracle cures. Standardized beetroot extracts, if proven safe and effective in human studies, could help smooth postmeal blood sugar spikes and support brain health pathways, complementing (not replacing) doctor-prescribed treatments.
• Instead of buying random “herb mixes,” people could access labeled, batch-consistent products with known doses and safety information.
• Nigeria can cultivate beetroot and other validated plants under good agricultural and collection practices (GAC), process them in NAFDAC-inspected facilities, and create jobs from farm to laboratory to pharmacy.
What the Federal Government can do right now
What the government can do right now includes the following:
Create a translational botanical fund under TETFund/NRF to move promising candidates (compounds) through:
• Standardization (marker compounds, batch specs),
• Early safety (toxicology screens),
• Pilot clinical trials (Phase I/II trials with clear metabolic and cognitive endpoints).
Regional laboratories with core equipment, bioassays, stability testing, and small-scale good manufacturing practices are suitable for pilot batches.
This cuts costs and delays for universities, start-ups, and SMEs.
Issue clear guidance on marker-based specifications, stability, cleaning validation, and documentation, so research teams know exactly how to prepare for human studies and, ultimately, product registration.
Fix procurement bottlenecks by providing FX windows and customs support for research reagents and equipment, with oversight to ensure transparency and performance.
Back Export-Ready Grants that help projects meeting international standards (GMP, validated analytics, ethical sourcing) scale for regional and global markets and health and nonoil revenue in one policy move.
The bigger picture
Dr. Ojo’s beetroot work is not about replacing doctors with vegetables. It is about meeting Nigerians where we are with science strong enough to turn what’s familiar into something safe, standardized, and genuinely helpful. With targeted government support and smart industry partnerships, Nigeria can move from talking about natural products to making world-class products that are good for patients, good for researchers, and good for the economy.
Indeed, Dr. Ojo is a Nigerian scholar whose career spans almost two decades. His academic journey began with a strong foundation in biochemistry.
The post Beetroot for brain, blood sugars: Don charts dual-therapy path appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
